


The Godfall Series

by x1L3550Nx



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Blood and Gore, Cataclysmic, Child Possession, Choices have consequences, Daedra Worship (Elder Scrolls), Disembowelment, Elder Scrolls Lore, F/M, Heavy Angst, Lore Stretching, Mistress, Morally Ambiguous Character, OC’S - Freeform, Post-Game(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prophecy, Slow Burn, War, Worldbuilding, coup
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:33:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 25,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29077152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/x1L3550Nx/pseuds/x1L3550Nx
Summary: Book 1KingFall (complete-novella {uploading})Book 2Skyfall (Planned Epic {110K+ words} in progress)Book 3Godfall (?)
Relationships: Male Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Elisif the Fair, Male Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Serana
Kudos: 5





	1. Intro

" _So many great nobles, things, administrations, so many high chieftains, so many brave nations, so many proud princes, and power so splendid; In a moment, a twinkling, all utterly ended."_

_—Jacobus de Benedictus_

/*~KF~*\

"Behold! The Hero of Skyrim! The Savior of Solstheim! An honorary member of the House of Telvanni! God-son of Akatosh! The Dragonborn! Talion Wraith-Blood!"

The streets of Solitude burst with a cacophony of sound and stimulation. Nords lifted mead in my honor, musicians blared, and women and children jumped in jubilation. The smiles broke through my usually gloomy demeanor, today the joy was especially contagious but deep down I knew the violence was long from over.

Although the Stormcloak's have been defeated and many have put up their swords forever, the zealous of any cause never surrender. Many of these zealots have assimilated into the tribes of the Forsworn and attempt to raise an army that way. Some zealots have even turned to human sacrifice and necromancy creating cults. I continuously think of everything that they could run to, the daedra, even the remaining Dōv who are now without a king-

My wife, the Jarl of Solitude took my hand on the throne next to me. She lifted a flagon in my name and the crowd jeered. I couldn't let my countenance seem gloom, so I raised a flagon as well looking at my wife all the while saying,

"Long live the Empire!"

I pressed my lips to my wife's as the crowd screamed,

"Long live the King!"

Smiling at the crowd I noticed someone with a cloak. Seeing no one else noticed her, Serana looked me in the eyes and smiled. I raised a flagon to her and she raised one back before disappearing into the crowd. I also spied Lydia, Jarl Balgruf, Jarl Maven Black-Briar, and all of the Companions all here for me. Even Neloth and those from Solstheim made an appearance it was as if the puzzle had been finished but lo, the puzzle hasn't even been started yet.

The Civil War had raged for 17 years. I was eighteen when I awoke in Skyrim, driven by what I thought was destiny and knew nothing of my parents or past. Lo, soon my youthful vigor later ran out and so I bragged and brawled at mead halls. I had been killing dragons for three years up to that point so needless to say any drunk who challenged me fell and fell hard.

Then I met Meridia, a good daedric prince, one of purity. It was Meridia who renewed my vigor and glorious it would have been if I had never met Boethiah, or that I ran into Miraak's henchmen. Somehow the cauldron of emotions of my soul were stirred and my zeal for Meridia was transformed into the lust of power from Boethiah and knowledge from Hermaeus Mora.

Was it fear that drove me to that place? Fear of waking up with cultists over me with torches? Or exhaustion? I was just so tired and desperate, I just wanted to not be hunted like an animal for five seconds. Then five years into adventuring I met Serana and I didn't care what others thought. I was a hot blooded male just like any other but she wouldn't have me, despite her love for me at the time.

Then a tide of patriotism came over me, I had bided power for ten years before I enlisted into the Legion and happened across Elisif. I speedily became Thane mostly because I wanted to court her. I was married at thirty-one, defeated Alduin and had a son, thirty-three when I helped Neloth and met Hermaeus Mora. I was 35 when I shouted Ulfric to dust. Three months later and I am High King, my life has been a whirlwind of blood, bone, steel and most of all stress. Studying, traveling, fighting, searching and more only to repeat it. If I was any older when I started my ambition would have died... there's a reason why they send young men to war: they're easy to motivate.

Elisif squeezed my hand harder as we waved to the crowds as we were paraded through the streets. The court wizard believes that I, like many others in Skyrim, am experiencing War-Shock. A problem with post-traumatic stress... whatever that is. Not even Serana knows of Boethiah and Hermaeus Mora but she's asked me about the armor before. Not any ebony mail can cause you to turn completely black and your enemies to slowly die around your feet if they get close enough.

I used to get a kick out of watching my foes die in a shroud of shadow. Now however, now that I have time to reflect on the things that I have done? I think I am only beginning to realize just how big some of the mistakes are that I have made.

**A/N: It's a very different take on the Dragonborn. As of today (4/6/19) I finished the story! I hope you enjoy the story as much as I enjoyed writing it! I take more pride in perhaps my fights and climaxes but intros? Ehh. But maybe I'm wrong! Let me know! Be vocal and as always:**

**Stay swag my friends** 😎


	2. A Champion Rises

**Three years later...**

The band of Stormcloak zealots trudged through the blistering snow up a mountain. Numbered at the grand total of four men and a woman they trod towards the small fire that acted as a light house to those blinded by snow and hail. They weren't alarmed by the glaring Forsworn sitting at the fire, in fact, they even asked him for directions. He pointed them in the general direction of their path and two more fires later they arrived at their location.

Boethiah's shrine.

A small arena to the left of them was littered with frozen bodies of the previous worshippers. Amongst them was a dark elf who was deceived and led here by none other than Talion to die by his dagger of sacrifice. Sacrifices had to be made to help save Skyrim, no save all Tamriel some would argue, but at what price?

One of the Stormcloaks stumbled and leaned on his neighbor. Going up one more hill they arrived at what looked like a stalagmite in the midst of a circle. Spires of spiral shape also went up on the edge of the circle further signifying that this indeed was the place even though the runes under them were invisible in the snow.

The four men formed a semi-circle crossing their hands over their middle and waited around the stalagmite that vibrated the air in its power. One with a wolf cloak over his helm unsheathed the blade of sacrifice but waited non-threateningly. The woman in the white bear cloak shifted her weight foot to foot uncomfortably.

"It's time, Sword Sister."

The woman's throat constricted and she inched closer and closer. Putting out a hand, she couldn't watch herself touch it and looked away. Upon touch, blue energy pulsated, the sacrifice's body smashed into the shrine with such force bones broke. Her form twitched and fluttered in a flame of blue light, her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She stayed there, foaming from the mouth as the wolf clad man stepped forward.

"Boethiah, accept this sacrifice from our hands for we wish to become your champions."

The blade plunged into the woman's back and time stopped. In a split second, the woman smiled before collapsing into the snow. She laughed and twitched before she disappeared into the wind, turned into dust. The blade of sacrifice burned and the man shrieked as it clattered into the snow and another pulse knocked them back.

This time their vision was hazed by the snow blown into the air from the runes on the ground. Once some of the snow cleared however, a lone male figure clad in a black hood stood before them. The Stormcloaks hastily hit their knees and made obeisance unto the figure who had appeared.

"Boethiah! Our lord!" The bear-clad officer bellowed in a thick Nord accent.

"Boethiah," the figure muttered in a Brenton accent without looking from out his hood, "has not considered you worthy of servitude. Wherefore do you call Boethiah your lord?"

"Let us prove ourselves!" The wolf said.

"Yes mi'lord," a grunt of the group uttered, "let us prove our mettle!"

A chilling smile graced the hooded man's lips.

"Fine, last one standing wins."

Without warning the man snapped his fingers and in a shimmer of dark blue, glowing bound armor covered the man. He looked towards the man closest to him and surged towards him. The man was so fast that the Stormcloak's 'what-?' was cut off by a cold hand lifting him into the air by his throat.

The three remaining men surrounded him from behind and drew their weapons. The mystery man watched silently as he began shocking the life from the man in his hand. The Stormcloak officer let out an ululation and struck his short sword against the man making ominous pings against the bound armor. The man smirked under his bound helmet, the form of a daedric helm hiding his expression and distorting his voice,

"Is that the best you got?"

The Stormcloaks watched in horror as their comrade's head popped. What was this armor? How much magika did he just use? A lot apparently and he was unfazed. The demon of a man began to walk away, not before snapping and conjuring something behind the horrified men.

A hiss sounded from the conjuration portal and revealed a cloaked reaper with four arms. The man sighed contentedly, tapped his feet, applying yet another spell and levitated into the air to watch the hopeless men die a painful death.

If anyone were left alive to testify, it was apparent the cloaked man is the new champion of Boethiah.

"To catch a thief," he mumbled into the storm, "you must be a thief. To kill a child of prophecy, you must be a child of prophecy. What were these vermin thinking?"


	3. Meridia’s Curse

Why had I told that mercenary to touch the pillar? Before that time I was always cautious about the lives of my companions; especially Serana. Nords, even the Legion, would argue that she isn't worthy of the air she breathes.

"My liege." A distant voice called.

I never murdered anyone but her. Was her body still there? Divines, what kind of monster am I? I can't even remember her name! The voice called louder,

"My liege! Are you alright?" Finnian my new court wizard asked.

I shook off my thoughts, "I'm sorry, you were saying?"

We were walking to a war meeting to discuss a wide variety of law enforcement such as counter-crime patrols and naval strategies against pirates. Finnian was right next to me as I walked and he usually overlooked the tutelage of my son.

"You know..." Finnian leaned in and whispered, "stimulating the mind with other activities might help with War-Shock."

My eye twitched, and I bit out, "Concern noted. Now as you were saying?"

"Your son is getting quite restless. It may be wise to spend some time after the meeting."

I sighed as we turned a corner, our destination now at the end of the hall.

"The talks are supposedly going to last all day."

"They shouldn't take long," Finnian commented as we stopped before the door, "you said the other day that the Empire should be able to handle bandits."

I smirked and set an arm on his shoulder, "That's why the new High King needs his advisers, rookies tend to make mistakes."

I gave him a pat and dismissed him to his other duties and pushed open the wooden double doors. The royal cape I had attached to my Ebony Mail followed me as my greaves clomped towards the stone decagon-shaped stratagem table. The generals rose to their feet and I blinked at a familiar face.

The tentacles coming out of the elf's back weren't there before. I closed my eyes and opened it just as the generals gave me a salutary fist to their chests and the vision of the woman I killed was gone. I mumbled under my breath,

"Shake not thine gory locks at me. 'Twas thou that dids't it."

"Excuse me, High King?" Someone asked, not having heard me.

"Oh," I lied, "I was just reminding myself of something that needed doing later." I snapped to the door guards, "Have a servant set on wine." I smiled towards my commanders, "Let's get started with a general report."

The hours went by, discussing the management of the kingdom. I grew exhausted somewhat but just before I had dinner catered to us something much like a fruit splattered on the balcony's stained windows. I stood up from my seat and another food of some kind bounced off my window. I didn't answer the general's queries as to why I went to the balcony wordlessly; the raving priest below answered that. His shouts wafted up to us on the wind outside the Blue Palace once I opened the doors to the balcony and stepped out.

"Do you not care?!" He screamed at everyone while struggling against the guards, "Is all that you care about is happiness?! And not the means thereof?!"

"My liege-" a general said but I shushed him.

"Guards! Cease and desist!" After sharing a glance at the priest they let go of him.

"Man of the Cloth, wherefore have you come?"

He was crazy enough to pick his burlap sack back up and keep throwing.

"Meridia sends regards! You unclean liar!"

A tomato splattered on my railing and droplets of juice got on my face. I wiped my face in disbelief and contained my rage. My diplomacy waning I yelled to him,

"Priest of Meridia! You test my magnanimity! Does Meridia have a message for me?! If not begone."

"High King," a general whispered from behind me, "you know how these pagan beliefs are outlawed in the Empire. This man cannot go unpunished."

I turned on him, barking in a hushed tone, "Do you propose that I make an example of him?!"

"High King!" The priest sneered below and I glowered down on him, "God-son of Akatosh! Do you sleep well at night?! Do your sins haunt your very dreams?! You are cursed, Talion! Cursed-" he threw an apple, "cursed you worthless snake!"

When I caught the apple my diplomacy with this man had long evaporated from the deepest aquifers of my being.

"Guards!" I pointed to them with the apple in hand, "Bring him," pointing on the balcony, "here!"

The day was mockingly bright and the wind blew my hair into my face. While I waited I made a point to crush the apple in my fist.

"You want an example? You shall have one."

As if on cue the guards came in dragging the priest who was now laughing. A crowd started to form at the street below and I wiped the apple chunks off of my hand on the balcony rail. He smiled as he said,

"Hear this infidel! You are destined to die by your son's hand when you least expect it!"

Black shrouded me and the smile he had disappeared. All the generals stiffened in fear. I grabbed him in my fist, twirled him off the floor, and held him off the balcony ledge. The poison effect of my armor slowly burned his skin causing him to let out a scream. Then I spat,

"Hear this, Fus-Ro-Dahhh-!"

His scream was silenced by the unrelenting force of my Thu'um turning him into dust. The only thing that landed on the street full of shocked citizens was the man's robe. A dark elf woman picked up the robe numbly before she keened for the man in the ominous silence. I yelled out,

"You call me High King but lo am I?! These gods and demons some of you serve and fear, can they shout you into dust to be trodden upon the earth?! No, no they can't, now go! Serve your petty gods but remember! I am not your High King; I am your God-King!"

The crowd was eerily silent save for the woman sobbing into the priest's robe.

"All I have to do is give the order and your idols will be melted into currency! You have your gods because I am king! Don't forget it!"

"Y-you monster!" The crying woman screamed into the silence. "You killed my brother!"

Guilt.

Realization.

And revelation.

These feelings and more all smashed into me mercilessly and I lost my appetite from earlier. They are after me, they are coming. The Daedric Princes are after me. The guards tried to restrain the woman and I called out,

"Leave her be. Let her mourn." I leaned on the balcony as the crowd dissolved silently to leave the woman. My general staff were still frozen behind me. Some were as pale as draugrs when I glanced at them and after a sigh I hissed,

"Dismissed."

A/N: While writing this I had an intense Macbeth feeling come over me in case you didn't catch the reference! 😂


	4. The World In Which We Live

Finnian jumped when I shoved the double wooden doors open forcefully. The wood elf composed himself and steadied the shaking of his Alchemy table. My voice boomed as I strode towards him, my face was nonthreatening but my stride and voice was so tense that I basically boomed,

"Finnian, where's my son?"

"M-my liege," he hastily got up and bowed with his right fist clasped to his chest, "your son is in the other room. The talks have subsided, I assume?"

"They ended early."

"May I ask why mi'lord?"

"Ask Noraveh," I said unhumorously, "that wine bearer you are just so fond of, Divines here." I tossed him an Amulet of Mara, "That might help."

He caught the amulet with a face as red as an apple.

"M-my liege, I don't think she's fond of me."

"Just wear it for a month and you'll be married to someone soon." I stopped outside my son's door. "Your a good man, probably better than me."

From Finnian's stuttering I could see he was even more embarrassed, and flattered,

"Preposterous mi'lord! There is a reason you are High King and not I."

I smiled from the man's innocence and commanded, "Just take a compliment and enjoy your evening you silly milk drinker."

Before he could say anything I opened the door and sighed quietly as my son was reading. His black storybook-hero locks contrasted his pale skin, no doubt the result of his time inside. I entered tentatively and greeted,

"Hello son."

He turned to me and focused his mother's grey eyes on me and smiled.

"Father," he frowned as a question lit in his eyes, the seven-year old was bright, "did you... shout? A moment ago?"

I ignored his question.

"Come, if you are to become High King I must show you the world in which we live."

He obeyed and got up from his seat.

"Need I pack?"

"I wish to spend the night at sea so just pack your scrolls, Dragonbane, a fishing rod and maybe a dagger."

"So it's like a sleepover?"

"A what?" I asked drily.

"The boys in the market invited me to a sleepover. It's when a friend stays the night and do fun things."

"When were you in the market?"

He glanced at me as he packed and gave me a mischievous grin.

"Hadn't Finnian told you that I was getting restless? He was mumbling it the whole way back as he dragged me home the other day."

"Observant," I smiled proudly, "but as much as I hope you have fun, I intend for you to get some hairs on your chest on this trip. Now hurry, if you beat me to the stable I might make you High King early."

"Ha-ha, Dad," my son said and then challenged, "I'll meet you at the docks atop Frostheart."

"My horse? Anyone could steal that mellow beast. Take your mother's, now that's a challenge."

Before he said more, I went to my quarters and prepared my trusty Bloodskal Sword. Strapping the sheath onto my back, under my black-over-red two tone royal cape, I made sure the handle was easily within reach. The handle poked out over my shoulder as I grabbed one of my dozen Dragon Priest masks and bagged it with the Jagged Crown in a small sack.

A few moments later, I was in the royal stable leaning on a wooden support beam as I waited for my son. What the priest had warned me of rolled in my mind like a family of trolls trying to sleep on one human bed. My son? A seven year old that's as harmless as a fly?

No, he's not harmless. Not a threat but definitely able to cause harm if he has the right scrolls. Once he hits puberty his magika should surface and with his experience in scrolls he should be able to master magic easier than I did.

There was a stirring and I saw Finnian giving my boy potions and pestering him like a mother hen. Once he let my son come to me I knew by the questioning look in Finnian's eyes that he had heard about what happened. I gave him a knowing glare back and went to my horse.

"I would've beat you here if Finnian didn't meet me en route." My son groaned.

"Hmph," I smirked, "hardly. Now, attention soldier."

He went rigid as I looked over his gear; ignoring something he mumbled about not being one of my soldiers. The sheathed Dragonsbane was vertical on his back, the sheath under the large bag of gear that Finnian no doubt gave him. I saw his leather armor and his dagger by his hip and I unfastened it and moved it up to his left shoulder in a chest mount.

"If someone, or something was to corner you or jump atop you it's better to have your backup blade closer to your chest. It's a better place to keep the blade if you get into a struggle. Quicker access as well."

"Practice what you preach father," he quipped with a smart smile, "where's yours?"

"In my hand already."

I tensed the muscles in my hand and bound a conjured sword from a bluish-purple orb of magic and cut the air lazily in flare.

"How do you dispel it?" My son asked in awe.

I unceremoniously tossed the sword behind me and it dissipated in the air. I took my son's shoulder and guided him towards my horse.

"Like so, now it looks like the dyers have dyed your leather armor in a nice shade of black."

"Yeah," he said numbly as he mounted the back of Frostheart, "its not like I had a choice."

"What do you mean?" I asked mounting in front of him, "You mean they didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" He muttered, confused. I shook the reins and continued towards the street.

"You could have had whatever color you wanted-," he perked up and I added, "as long as it was black."

My son gave me a flat but priceless look of disapproval as we passed the gate. The woman was still there, now silently sobbing, clinging to the white robe like a lifeline. My son's gaze followed the woman as we passed.

"Why is she crying?"

I gave him a pained glance, but continued on the road.

"Someone cruel had taken something dear to her."

"Did you kill the thief?"

"I'm trying to."

"What does that mean?"

I sighed and acted like I didn't hear his question as the horse clomped down the stone streets of Solitude. The closer we got to the docks the number of seagulls increased as did the force of the cool sea wind. It was quiet between my son and I until he asked,

"Father, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"You won't avoid my answer?"

I didn't give him any promises by saying, "What's the question?"

"Why did you name me Paarthurnax?"

I smiled and answered, "Paarthurnax was a teacher I greatly respected."

"Really? Was he an orc?"

I chuckled as a cool breeze blew my hair back from my eyes.

"No, he was actually one of the Dōv; he taught me how to harness my Thu'um."

"He was a dragon?!"

I laughed, "Yes."

"Did he eat cows?"

"Hmmm, I don't know actually."

"Oh," then he changed the subject, "I heard werewolves never sleep, nor do vampires, is that true?"

"Not sleeping is unhealthy for them." I started, "Beastblood for example, makes you restless and increase your multitasking skills ten-fold, but the human side still needs sleep. If you don't sleep you will begin to see and hear things, supposedly the voice of Hircine, and slowly go insane. That's how wild werebeasts are, they embraced the restless nature of the Beastblood to the point that they are mindless, led about by natural instincts or whatever they think is the will of their patron, the Daedra Hircine."

"Wow! What book did you read that from?"

I ignored his question, I learned that from personal experience in the Companions. I would go weeks without sleep and hear voices telling me to feed on everything. If it wasn't for the Beastblood I would have never been able to maintain the psychotic pace of life I was living. Hell, I proposed to Serana while a lycan.

"Okay," Paarthurnax said, "what about vampires?"

I slept with a vampire, my conscience reminded me.

"I've heard stories of alchemists that inhaled a bit of vampire dust on accident. Then over a course of time they kept studying and studying until thirst drove them into the sun but by then their transformation was complete. Wild vampires are much more cunning naturally and lycans are impulsive. It's like two sides of the coin of night. Lycans are sociopaths whereas vampires represent psychopaths."

"What if Finnian accidentally turned into a vampire?"

Arriving at the dock I stopped the horse and tied it to a beam of the pier and helped Paarthurnax down.

"I'd probably help him leave Solitude. Say something like I fired him or he resigned. Or..." I added, "I'd have Sybille Stentor help him adjust to his new life."

"Sybille? Mother's Court Wizard? How can she help?"

She's a vampire, I thought.

"She just can."

"Okay..."

Paarthurnax and I strode down the dock and an admiral saluted me with a fist to his chest.

"Mi'lord!"

"Is she sea ready? I want you to put some hairs on the prince's chest."

"Yes, my liege."

"Let us embark then."

I got next to the pilot of the ship and kept my eyes on the glitter of the ocean but my mind was everywhere. I relived my sins, relived the events of today. I closed my eyes and sighed, breathing in the salty air, someone cruel had taken something dear to her I had said. Just like Ulfric did Elisif you monster, my conscience chastised.

"Dad!" A voice said but I didn't hear him still lost in the sea and the sea of my thoughts.

The admiral's hand rested on my shoulder and I glanced at him. He spoke in a hushed tone,

"Mi'lord, there is a fleet of marauders on the horizon."

I glanced over his shoulder at five ships coming our way. My face and voice was flat when I muttered,

"Good, raise the flag of no parley." The admiral's eyes bulged from his head and I called, "Son! Bring my bag!"

My water and sea foam covered son hastily gave me my burlap sack. How much time had passed? I gave it no thought as I pulled on my mail coif on my armor. Then I advanced towards the bow of the ship while I slipped on my shrouded mask before putting the Jagged Crown atop it.

"Son," I summoned a white light with crystal prisms around it into my hand before he came to me and I applied Ebonyflesh to him, I did it again for myself and leaned towards Paarthurnax. The quick magika use caused me to huff,

"Do you have that Daedric Fireball scroll with you?"

"Is this Ebonyflesh!"

"Boy," I growled in all gravity, "concentrate."

"Umm, yeah!" He began digging it out.

"Good, you keep that and give me a mass paralysis scroll."

He obeyed as the crew behind us began to get combat ready.

"Now boy, I want you to use that scroll."

His eyes widened and he peered past me towards the ships.

"B-but those are people."

"Yes son," I consoled, "cruel people who take away precious things."

"Just like the thief that made that woman cry?"

I was silent a moment before admitting,

"Yes, like him. Now fire your blast."

I turned from him and held the Bloodskal blade in my hand and stood at the dragon figurehead of the ship. I rode the waves as my magika slowly recovered and I breathed the sea air deeply in anticipation. I glanced at my son whose lip was quivering, after looking at me he swallowed a lump in his throat and the scroll dissolved into green flames in his hands. I smiled as Paarthurnax let out a war cry and a green fireball flew overhead and blew up an entire ship. Embers even landed on the ship adjacent and started fires there.

"Now," I called out, being shrouded in the Ebony Mail's Darkness like smoke, "everyone into the cabin until the storm is over!"

There was rustling behind me and quick footsteps but after the cabin door clapped shut then only the sea breeze was left. I breathed deeply one last time as a small fireball passed me and then I howled out my hatred, self-loathing and rage in the form of my storm shout, my Thu'um shaking the air.

"Strun-Bah-Qooooo!"

In seconds I was standing in a thick blanket of rain and lightning struck.

Their ships, which were riding the calm day's wind towards us, were veered off course. One was able to get closer to us, but the others got turned around in whirlpools the violent wind had made. The Daedric Fire my son had started continued to burn one of the ships as the ship closest to me tried to throw grapples and hook on.

I swung my blade and a red arc of magic cut their grapples. An enemy mage attempted to launch another fireball before lightning bolts struck him dead. Our ships scraped past one another and I instinctively shielded my face from the water and splinters that followed. Experienced in fighting alone or heavily outnumbered I took a quick glance around at my surroundings and noted the burning sinking ship and another shoddily made ship was snapped in half from the wind pressure on the mast. At this moment the ship we broadsided tossed grapples onto my ship and got into position to board.

An orc let out a guttural war cry and charged me. Wielding two axes I slashed another red arc at him with my two handed sword that disoriented him and some of his friends behind him before I impaled him on my sword. Pulling my sword back out of him to let him wallow in his blood I slashed another arc, and then quickly tensed my right hand summoning electricity. Shooting an arc of chain-lightning, I burnt holes in two people's chests. Next a bearded Nord raised his sword to strike me but a wave smashed over us and I easily side-stepped his attack. Slashing his hands off from overhead I kicked him overboard as a hail of lightning struck a distant archer above me in the enemy crow tower and one soldier in front of me.

The final two enemies on my decks shared nervous glances with one another as my faceless form lifted my head. I was Darkness, just like a wraith from another world. One enemy fled, and a blonde Nord with a full set of Nordic armor from Solstheim tried a double-handed slash attack with a broadsword. I took a deep breath and a green ball of light came into my right hand. Once I cast my spell her attack stopped dead in its tracks, in fact her entire body was stock still.

The sun began to shine as the rain began slowly fading as I popped my neck. The woman's eyes glanced around hopelessly as her body was frozen by my paralysis spell. Waves rocked the ship and she toppled onto the deck before me. I slid her helmet off with my greaves and curb stomped her head, pulverizing it with a watery sound.

Her Breton partner was trying to unhook the grapples and I laughed before paralyzing him and resting my head on the hilt of my blade in his back.

Grapples clicked to the ship behind me. The crew's archers and mages were killed by lightning so they all prepared to board. I left my blade in the Breton's back and froze two of their vanguard stiff with my ice form shout:

"Liz-Slen-Nus!"

I unrolled the mass paralysis scroll and green burned through my hands before I froze everyone in their places. Ignoring the protest of my muscles, I retrieved my sword and walked casually through them to finish dolling out my wrath. I gut one, stabbed another in the throat casually, walked by and blasted two more away with a blast of chain lightning, and I snapped the neck of one more before the spell ended. Only one collapsed Redguard, and the two frozen pirates were left. The Redguard woman begged before I slashed the back of her legs.

Free from paralysis, the others collapsed and wallowed in their blood as they died. Some screamed and others gurgled but all slowly died. I impaled the frozen Nord and decapitated the other frozen high elf, the ice shattered when I did. The only one left alive was the Redguard which I walked towards, the protective poison effect of my armor swallowed half of her body in shadow as she looked at me fearfully.

"You-you are a monster!" She spat, hate in her eyes as darkness crept up her body.

"I know," I cooed as she gurgled from my sword going slowly into her chest, "you don't send saints to kill other monsters. You send bigger ones."

Once the life faded from her eyes I just closed my eyes and rested my head on the hilt of my sword. The cabin door behind me was tentatively pushed open as my crew, my son, and the fowl of the sea came to see the bags of flesh and bones I had emptied of life.

In the distance burned two ships, another sunk and before me, the remains of two crews. All dead before the hour turned. I shivered and leaned on my sword heavily once my adrenaline rush subsided. The Redguard's probably right... I am a monster, just a product of this world in which we live.


	5. What We Could Have Been

I liked the ocean, the rocking of the ship on the waves helped me sleep. This night, with everything that happened however wasn't a night to sleep on. I liked my son's presence as well but him having to throw up constantly was getting tiring. I sighed and groaned,

"Boy," I mumbled while getting out of the hammock and casting a candlelight spell, "come with me. I'll help you get your sea belly."

"I'm-" he couldn't even finish he was so seasick. Paarthurnax obediently followed and the night was cold to the point that frost drifted down from the starry sky. With no wind, the mariners rowed and sang native ballads as I stood with my son at the railing.

"Look towards the horizon. That's what I did and it kept me from losing my stomach once."

"You-" he spat the taste out of his mouth and coughed, "never got seasick?"

"Oh I didn't say that!" I answered in all seriousness, "The first time I sailed towards Solstheim the captain probably thought I was some delusional milk drinker. I never threw up though and he knew then and there I meant business." I air quoted, "Divines, you're either the toughest or stupidest man on earth. I've never seen someone beat seasickness."

Paarthurnax laughed.

"I didn't want to say, hey I've killed dragons. Then he would have worried about me getting drunk on sea water."

Paarthurnax laughed and then coughed.

"You did good today, boy."

He smiled and spat overboard, "Your Thu'um was..." he struggled with thinking of a word, "loud. Very loud."

I stiffened.

"Did I scare you?"

"N-no," he mumbled, "I was scared for you. You're my father and there was so many of them."

I laughed in relief, "You should have been scared for them. Though I appreciate your concern, you don't know that my armor repairs itself, I have more than a dozen more shouts, and I am adept in all, and expert in some schools of magic." I bobbed my head in self-debate before adding, "Except alchemy, I'm okay in it but enchanting and crafting was more my flagon of wine."

Paarthurnax was quiet with a question in his eyes and asked,

"Will I have to do that when I get older?"

"Kill? Of course, I may be Dragonborn but I am only one man. Even if I did bring complete peace there's still going to be plenty of murderers for you to execute the death sentence on."

The boy frowned but it was the truth. I sometimes forget how young he is, he's much more mature than his peers at his age. The boy even beat Finnian at Deadman's Chess once. Now that is a day Finnian will never live down.

One of the admirals aides came to me and handed me a potion in a wine bottle. Looking at him the Nord's eyes were green, night-vision potion, I deduced. He spoke casually, like we were being watched and he was trying to hide that he knew to those watching,

"Sorry, to interrupt but our Khajit in the crow tower spotted something."

I sniffed the potion before taking a swig. I closed my eyes and felt them change behind my eyelids with a tingling sensation at the base of my skull. Once I opened them I saw a Breton in black, his face hidden by the hood of his cloak just standing there. It took another moment to realize that he was standing on the water.

I turned around casually, acting like I didn't see him.

"Have you ever seen that before?"

The Nord turned as well, and answered,

"The admiral was wanting to ask you the same question."

"Father," Paarthurnax's voice shook, "what is it?"

"Hush boy," then I answered the admiral's aide, "no, no I haven't. I bet Neloth might know."

"The vessel isn't equipped with enough provisions for such a journey."

"I know, I was just thinking aloud."

He cast a glance back, "Do you think it was a spirit? It's gone now."

I thought a moment and shook my head with a sigh, "Let us retire to Solitude."

The Nord, bid his leave with a salutary fist to his chest, "Aye-Aye mi'Lord. We shall return by the hour."

I raked my hands through my hair.

"When we get home we're going straight to bed, alright boy?"

"Yes father," my son muttered sheepishly, "but what if a dragon attacked?"

When I looked at him he had a mischievous smile.

"Your trying to see if I will keep my word, eh? One dragon could just be a few minutes so you still should get to bed."

He giggled and coughed before saying, "I just want you to practice what you preach."

I huffed, "You act like I am some priest."

I heard seagulls mulling about in the air, land was getting closer.

"You're a hero."

My hand unconsciously went to my breastplate.

"I can't save everyone, boy." There was a pause and then I said, "Sacrifices... were made to get me here."

Once the ship landed the admiral bid me farewell and Paarthurnax nodded off on the ride back. Home, a servant took Frostheart and Paarthurnax and I headed to our chambers. I opened the door tentatively and spied my wife Elisif sound asleep. Smiling I knelt down and darkness shrouded my visage and I crept into my personal armory and the washroom.

I shot a fireball lazily at the kindling underneath a tub and by the time I had my arms and armor off the water was hot. I washed but couldn't crawl into bed. No, I don't know if I could sleep right now and I stepped out onto my balcony overlooking the ocean.

I heard the crunch of an apple above me and a gag. I looked up at the noise as Serana spat out the bite of apple. Glancing at my wife and then her I shut the balcony doors and cast a muffle spell on it.

"Serana?! What the hell are you doing?"

"Horribly failing at a dramatic hi, lets talk?"

I climbed up the roof next to her and I nodded to the apple asking,

"Bad apple?"

"Just like you?" She said sarcastically before adding, "I don't know really, why don't you try it?"

I took the apple and bit into it. I blinked a few times and pursed my lips. My eye twitched from the horrible taste and I tossed it, croaking out,

"Horrible."

"You won't like, die from swallowing that... will you?"

I coughed, "I've had worse when I self-trained myself in alchemy."

Serana covered eyes from remembering something.

"Don't remind me."

"That giant's toe was the worst."

"Talion!" Serana laughed and I admired her laughing with the moon behind her before shaking my head. NOT like old times, I reminded myself, we're not lovers anymore. I sighed and then asked pointedly,

"Why are you here?"

She sobered and scooted closer to me.

"I heard about today and I wanted to hear it from you." She thought a moment before adding, "And from how shaken up you are I'm glad I came. It's troubling you."

I kept my eyes on the ocean.

"He was throwing fruit at my windows."

"And?" She pressed.

"He said I was cursed of Meridia. But some of the other stuff he said was true. How I can't sleep. How my sin's haunt me. He said-!"

I deflated, "Nothing."

"Hey, look at me."

I ignored her and she guided my eyes to hers. Impulsively I took her hand and her thumb brushed my cheek.

"H-he said my son was prophesied to kill me."

Serana's eyes widened and she withdrew her hand. Her voice was a harsh whisper,

"What did you do?!"

"Nothing!" I lied.

I looked back at the ocean but her hands guided my eyes back to her. Her eyes were closed as she debated in her head with a frown. I thought I saw water in her eyes when she opened them saying,

"If you tell me your secrets, I'll tell you mine."

I let down my head, and my hand played with her hair; should I tell her? These secrets inside were burning my soul like fire. I met her eyes and swiped at the moisture building up in my eye.

"Boethiah."

Her eyes widened but she kept quiet.

"I worked for Boethiah to get the armor and I had Hermaeus Mora help me defeat Miraak."

To the complete revelation she turned pale. I have never seen her turn pale, I noted as she scooted away from me and covered her mouth. Her free hand was squeezing mine and I said, assuming that I knew the secret she was talking about,

"You know, I've read about Molag Bal. You don't need to tell me."

She ignored me and was trying not to cry.

"Talion, you are becoming my father."

I blinked at her and withdrew my hand from her's.

"Me? Your father? Who risked his life and that of his own family for power from Molag Bal?!" I spat, "Impossible."

"Talion," she got up on her knees and took my hands, "you need to come with me-"

"Serana," I bit out, "my wife and son are asleep. You had your chance."

"Don't." She growled, "Go. There."

"Let. Go." I bit out.

"I know what you want."

"Let go of me." I hissed and she smirked.

"Make me," she challenged and a shout threatened to escape my lips but didn't. Did I still want her? Why don't I have the strength to turn her away like she did me? My voice cracked,

"Why did you tell me no, Serana?"

She brushed my hair away from my eyes and she sighed.

"Because I didn't want to become my mother."

"I am not your father-"

"Have you told your wife? Your son? About the cursed armor you so openly flaunt?"

I grew quiet but she continued, her grip on my head tightening somewhat,

"What will your wife say to you tomorrow? No doubt you will argue and what of your son? Will she approve of you taking him out to watch you kill and butcher in that cursed armor you so openly flaunt?"

"Serana," I lied to her and myself this time, "I'm not your father."

She picked up the lie and frowned as she shook her head.

"No, you feel worse than that don't you?"

"Get off." I scooted away and cupped my face in my hands. She sighed and shook her head.

"You know, marriage is less of a love thing and more of a commitment thing. We could have been-"

I turned on her and the look in my reddened eyes spoke volumes. She dropped the subject and sighed. Unable to meet my eyes she hollowly muttered,

"You know how much I wanted my family to be together and happy. Even though I knew how hopeless it was." She got up, "I at least want you and yours to be happy now. Even if it seems hopeless." She walked towards me tentatively and placed a kiss to my temple. "Meet me at my camp outside Solitude with all your gear you got from Daedric sources if you want help getting rid of them. It might help."

She got ready to leave and I said,

"You never told me your secret."

Her shoulders sagged and she choked, "Now's not a good time."

I chuckled and asked, "It's one of those things that have no good time to tell? Like mine, isn't it?"

Her silence as she descended from my palace answered my question.

???'s pov

With camouflage, muffle, high jump, and slowfall spells I followed the vampire. Serana, that was her name from what I overheard. Once she left Solitude and met with two other people I contained a chuckled. I think I deduced the secret she was talking about.


	6. Restitution Bound

"Leave us." My wife commanded the guards. Finnian about left as well but Elisif added,

"Finnian. Stay."

I sat under the pained gaze of my wife as she shook her head at me.

"I can't believe you did this."

I kept silence, unable to meet her eyes.

"You shouted-" she shook her head, "after what happened to my deceased husband you shout an innocent man into pieces! In my home!"

Your home? I thought as I met her eyes.

"I shouted Ulfric to pieces." I hollowly tried to justify.

Elisif stood up, "Ulfric is dead! He has nothing to do with this! You held a priest of Meridia by the throat and-"

I stood in response, "I know what I did, woman!"

"My liege, my lady, please sit." Finnian softly pleaded.

My hands shook as I sat down. Elisif collapsed into her chair and cupped her shaking head in her hands.

"It's like I'm reliving my husband's death."

"This all could just be War-Shock-"

I interjected, "Everything is not just War-Shock, elf!" I couldn't help standing and knocking my chair back. "Wrongs have been done; restitutions must be made." I couldn't look my wife in the eyes as I uttered, "That's why I was planning on going to Meridia with peace offerings."

"Like what?" Finnian asked.

"The Dawnbreakers."

Elisif just watched me, shaking her head numbly. Finnian sighed, and plead,

"My liege. Even the Dawnbreakers, of which you slain numerous draugrs with on your way to Sovengarrd to defeat Alduin may not be enough."

"It should be enough to get a great errand to do for my atonement."

But lo, they don't know half of the neglect I have done towards Meridia, Boethiah and Hermaeus Mora. I looked at my wife's face and Divines the pain I had caused her. I set the chair back in it's place and tentatively walked backwards.

"Talion-" her ethereal voice said, "I still love you... but you cannot come back until your errand is done."

"Such is the law," I bowed, "my love."

Once I closed the door behind me I heard something clatter, as if plates were thrown in frustration, before sobbing came through the door. I rested my head on the door a moment, guilt impaling my very being when I began to go towards my quarters. I packed with fervor and I armored up as well. My Bloodskal blade was vertical on my back today and the Dawnbreakers crisscrossed under my cape. I also tied the Rueful Axe to my bag which I stocked with a few days supplies and extra potions just in case.

The only thing I didn't take was the Black Books in my personal war chest, I actually forgot where I put it. I would also have to make another trip to Solstheim, or could I just burn them? Something bumped into a prized Cudgel of mine I got from Fort Frostmoth but I didn't see anything.

"Paarthurnax," I droned, "invisibility scrolls are quite expensive."

"Ugh," a totally caught voice groaned, "I used a muffle scroll to."

Once the effects wore off I saw my son's sad face.

"I'm coming."

I groaned and simply stated, "No."

At this point he teared up and then threw himself at my legs. Tears were flowing down his face as he cried,

"I'm going to miss you dad."

"I'm going to miss you as well, Paarthurnax."

Once he let go he said, "I'm going to keep mom safe. I promise."

I smiled and raked my hand through his hair.

"I hope you do, and I hope I am back soon."

I was silent as his feet pattered away but came back. He looked up at me and held out the Amulet of Talos I had given him for his birthday. Sniffing he said,

"Here, so you don't forget me... and that you're a hero."

I took the amulet and looked at it for a long moment before scooping him up and crying unabatedly into him.

"I would never forget you Paarthurnax! I would go into hell and back for you my son. I love you."

"I love you to!" He cried and after a good while we parted.

To keep myself from breaking down, I couldn't look at Paarthurnax as I pulled on my coif, my shrouded Konahrik, and the Jagged Crown. Still unable to bear his eyes on me, I put one foot in front of the other... without looking back.

Following the smoke from Serana's fire was easy. I noted a dead bandit next to her as I approached through the woods on horseback. She was cleaning her blade on cloth she cut from the poor man's cloth armor.

"What?" She asked me, "He tried to rob me and I was thirsty."

I smirked and rolled my eyes but she couldn't see my face through my mask. "Where are the others?"

"Getting water and firewood. I didn't expect you so soon."

"Serana!" I chastised teasingly, giving her a hard time. As if on cue her undead ex-robber servant came and threw twigs onto her fire before going back to get more like some Dwemer machine.

"If you took any longer," she said getting up, "I was afraid that I might have to burn a farm. You know get everyone in Solitude jumping around screaming," she tinkled her fingers, "ooooh vampire! Hmph."

"Then guards would have come to kill you." I said drily.

"Aww, here I was thinking you wanted to start a coven with me." She mocked playfully. I ignored her and instead of reminding her of my married status I added,

"And then I would have to kill the guards, but please don't make me do that Serana. Now come, I have deities to soothe."

She sighed a long sigh, and with a wave of her hand her undead robbers were made... for lack of a better term: dead. She gave a soft whistle and an all black horse came up from the brush. Once mounted I commented as Frostheart walked next to her steed,

"Black, just like your heart."

She snorted a laugh and changed the subject after donning her hood.

"The weather seems like it's going to rain, do rain clouds always follow you wherever you go?"

I ignored her, biting back a friendly jab before friendly jabs turned into flirty ones.

"We are going to the shrine of Meridia, west of Solitude at Mt. Kilkreath." I glanced at her and she listened while enjoying the sunny sky, "Y-you don't have to come with me inside. It should be clear and I will go down to the catacombs, the very place I got the swords."

"No problem, whatever happens in there," she looked at me and gave me a reassuring smile, "I'll be at the door."

"It's funny," I jabbed, "how you will go to hell and back for me but not into a temple and back."

She rolled her eyes and sped up into a trot. I caught up to her and she added,

"Just like you said about the guards. I would do it if you were in dire danger but please, don't make me."

"What's your horse's name?"

"Bloodrunner." She said over the slight breeze.

"How original," I teased, "does it drink horse-blood?"

"No! She drinks the blood of apples. Eyes on the road High King."

We slowed down into a walk and I saw the group of men running into the road, blocking us off. Seriously, I thought, highwaymen this close to Solitude? It wasn't until that we got closer that some of the dregs amongst the criminals shifted the weight on their feet nervously. A scar-eye brute of an orc seemed to be their leader and called out,

"Now hand over your gold! And no one gets hurt!"

"I will gladly hand over my gold to one who has slain more men than I."

"Bah! I have killed several dozen!"

Darkness enveloped me as I shot the runts of his group with blasts of chain-lightning from both hands and I quipped,

"I just killed four more, what say you?"

Before he let out an enraged war-cry I dual casted another bolt, using two hands to burn a hole clear through the chief and his lieutenant. Seeing half their force decimated the remaining bandits began to flee. Serana steadied me on my horse, yelling at those criminals to go home to their families but mainly to distract them from me slumped over on Frostheart. Oi, I self-chastised, I was overdoing myself. Serana's voice was watery and faded from me,

"Hey, Talion? Are you okay?"

For a moment I heard nothing, and seen nothing but darkness. The Breton from the ocean tossed a body at my feet and his chuckle awoke me to the birds and sounds of the forest. The jump I did startled Serana.

"How long was I out?!"

She sighed a sigh of relief. "You weren't responding for two or three minutes. Look we're here."

I looked up at the spire shivered from the memory of Meridia tossing me into the air to talk. More like blackmail me to do her dirty work or he, she, or it would drop me. I tied Frostheart off on a tree and I took out my Rueful Axe and tossed it to Serana.

"Hold that for me, I hope to not take long."

"Aye-aye your highness." Serana said unceremoniously with a mock salute as she set up camp a little father from the temple.


	7. The Challenger

I stroked my hand on the wall as I walked through the halls reliving what happened here. The bones of the Shades were still below my feet as the battle of old echoed in my ears. I passed a blood spot where I had nearly bled out, my blood now black and an old stain. Charred corpses were here and there and if I remember correctly, they all had a lot of gold in them.

Passing through to the Kilkreath catacombs I passed more shade remains and stopped at the ashes of the mage that created the shades. Or more accurately, the ashes of the shade that came out of his body. I remembered with a frown that I howled in delight as I watched the shade burn from my shout. It was as if I could see myself, the pleasure illuminating from my eyes, the sheen of flame light making my smile look... evil. Why didn't I see what I was becoming then?

The light dimmed and a voice spoke,

"So the murderer of my messenger decided to heed my message? Oh, the irony... God-King."

"I have come for atonement-" I prepared to leave the Dawnbreakers but the voice said,

"You never told Hermaeus Mora, nor Boethiah, your masters, that you were finished. What am I to do with another's servant?"

"My silence, neglect and absence speaks volumes Meridia."

"You're right, that's what you had done to me. Now hold onto those blades, you will need them for the trials to come, mortal."

"But Meridia-"

The door behind me was kicked open and I spun on my heel at the noise. The sight before me quickly made my blood boil and I was shrouded in darkness. The Breton in black chuckled and unceremoniously tossed Serana's bleeding form atop another corpse.

"At last we meet," the Breton cooed, "champion."

"Serana!" I unsheathed the Bloodskal blade with such intensity it hissed from it's sheath. "I'm going to rip out your spine-" my voice shook, "and impale your desecrated, dying body with it!"

"Hmph," he shrugged casually tapping his feet but I noted a faint light when he tapped them, "no monologuing? Shame." He stood and he smiled, "Last one standing wins."

He snapped his fingers and instantly he was in glowing blue Daedric armor. He bound a greatsword in his hands as well. I hopped down the steps I was on, my usual technique befuddled by rage, and shouted fire his way.

"Yol-Toor-Shul!"

Confusion struck me as the flames hit nothing and realization really began to dawn on me of what I was doing and what I was up against. My throat and lungs tingled like strings from my Thu'um and I better wait before I can shout safely again.

"Sloppy." My enemy hissed from behind me.

Instinctively I weaved to the right and his blade pierced my left shoulder. I roared and twirled with my blade around and then saw him. A twinge of fear hit me when I realized that he was jumping over me, twirling in the air with grace as leaves during fall. I twisted back again, bringing my sword around but he blocked my attack and went for a counter swipe at my neck.

I leaned back just too late and his attack barely slapped my helmed head. Bleeding from my shoulder and face I tried for a tactical retreat, stumbling back into a burial urn as my foe laughed at me. Another thing I noticed was that my armor wasn't poisoning him. He was faster than he should be and it was apparent that the pool of magika he possessed was massive. I cast a fast heal spell as my armor slowly repaired itself and got ready.

I smiled, I've faced fast opponents before. It just means I need to... bend time a little bit. He's probably just a really powerful mage-thief, using a fighting style that relies on his speed to avoid attacks. If they can't hit you, then they can't kill you, right?

I glanced at Serana and the pool of her blood was growing.

"Sloppy." My enemy yawned as he hit me in the face with a lightning bolt while I was distracted.

I screamed in agony and hit my knees. He rose his sword to casually strike off my head. My face burning behind my mask, I ducked under his attack and quickly jabbed my sword upward at his throat. Blood spurt with enough force to land on me but he recoiled back and cast a spell with some sort of passive healing. Who taught this man his magic?!

"Sloppy." I spat but I had the shrewd feeling that he was smiling.

He casually tossed his bound greatsword back, dispelling it and conjured two swords.

Aw Oblivion, I mentally groaned. Glancing around at Serana, six torches lighting most of the chamber I made an impulsive plan and gripped my sword. My enemy strode towards me and smugly cooed,

"It's time to die."

"No, time listens to me." I said before charging and shouting my Thu'um like a war-cry as time almost stopped.

"Tiid-Klo-Ul!"

My enemy attempted to jump over me and I slashed him across his torso and did a backwards stab through him while blood slowly coated his armor and spilled into the air in dark beauty. Time was so slow that if I was fast I could leave my sword in the air for brief enough moments to cast spells and catch it before it fell to the ground. Then I shot chain lightning from both hands at the torches, advanced towards Serana and lightning bolted the last two before scooping Serana up and used my armor's stealth abilities to my advantage just as time was restored.

I couldn't use a healing spell on her since vampires are classified undead so I groped through my bag and, finding what I needed, I put a healing potion to her lips. She coughed and I sighed in relief, I wasn't to late.

My jubilee was cut short but the crazy man's chuckle.

"Getting some friends are we?!" He shouted at the shadows. Bones started clattering together, aw crap. "Two can play that game!" He finished with spitting what I assumed was blood.

The shades began to materialize, made up of bones, darkness and red glowing eyes. I sheathed my Bloodskal Blade and snuck back into the light at the front of Meridia's catacomb and I challenged,

"You want me!? Come get me!"

Unsheathing the Dawnbreakers I stabbed one shade and finished it with a slash from the sister-blade. So two strikes? Hmm, I thought. I double stabbed another as an attack came at my left. I quickly parried, stabbed and counterattacked but one of them got back up with a blue aura. Serana, I deduced spilt second before I killed three more, my muscles finally getting worn out. Serana raised another shade to my cause but the last one I killed activated the Dawnbreaker's ability and it exploded, killing all the undead around me; throwing bones, dust and weapons everywhere.

My dark shroud over me faded and my breathing was heavy but I tried to will the adrenaline to stay in my veins. I conjured a lopsided cream colored spell and tried to heal my face, still holding my swords. Serana called out from the shadows,

"I'm positive we're the only one's here!"

Realizing the maniac used his last bit of magika to remake the shades as cover for his tactical retreat I collapsed onto my knees. Sheathing the Dawnbreakers I went so far as to collapse on my face. Who in the Oblivion was that?! Was my last thought before I went unconscious.


	8. All in Vain

I woke under a leanto, with arms and legs wrapped me, and the heat of a fire was nearby. The woman pressed herself into me and quivered like a fish out of water. A fire is right THERE, I thought in annoyance. Then I started really waking up and remembered everything that happened.

I sat up, headgear off, and croaked, "Serana? What happened?"

She closed her eyes and turned over. I frowned, the temple reminded her of Molag Bal. "Meridia still wants to talk, go."

"Serana," I stroked her hair but she swatted my hand away, "are you alright?"

"Time. Just a little time."

Sighing deeply I got up and tried to wisecrack, "Hey, that's one way to get you in a temple, right?" Serana didn't laugh or even acknowledge that she heard me. Yeesh, I thought, that was probably a bad joke.

This time, I went to the beacon of Meridia at the center of her shrine. It was faster than the catacombs and I think Meridia doesn't really want to waste to much time on me. I hit a knee at the shrine and the world went slower and was a shade bluer than before.

"Well, you purged my sanctuary again after leading your rival here. I don't know if I should thank you or punish you."

"I still need to atone for your messenger."

There was a smirk in the deity's voice, "Responsible. The Talion I thought I knew wouldn't remind me of things as that."

"You were pretending to forget?"

"Yes."

"What must I do to have your curse lifted?"

The voice sighed and tsked me, "Talion, Talion, Talion, do you have any idea how bad you messed up?"

Goosebumps came over me, my eye twitched and my hand gripped my knee that I had propped up.

"The Divines have forsaken you, Boethiah's challenger hunts for your life and Hermaeus Mora?" There was a dramatic pause before the voice added, "He waits for you Talion."

"Your messenger, he said that I was to die by my son's hand?"

"You are no longer going to die by your son's hand, but unless fate is altered when necessary you and your wife will die within a weeks time."

"Who shall slay me?"

"Can two be one especially when one disagrees with the other? A new thing shall horrify the earth and it will be because of you, Talion. And though your son will not slay you; he WILL make you fall before him."

I looked down into the dirt, what can I do?

"There's still hope. You just have to fight and not fall."

The color returned to the world and I was speechless as I returned to camp on the hill. Serana was by the fire with her hood up, her eyes shut tightly as I sat on the log next to her. My voice was hollow as I asked, "So... did Meridia tell you something like what I got?"

"Kinda." She sighed and it was a long moment before impulsively I got up, unsheathed the Bloodskal Blade with all my might and cleaved a log in half.

"Vain! Vain!" I screamed in pain.

"Talion..." Serana said wearily.

"I killed," with every word I chopped into the nearest tree, "fought, stole, murdered, studied, sacrificed over and over in vain!"

I stabbed the blade into the mud and tried to just resort to crushing the handle.

"I did it all to avoid this," tears flowed down my face, "I did everything in my power, everything! Even some of the questionable things were to save..." I plumped down into the dirt, "others."

Serana tentatively walked up to me and knelt down into leaves next to me. I shook my head as the tears flowed. The pictures of all that I had done, the horrors I faced, the immoral misdeeds I committed; they all flashed through my mind's eye. I looked up at Serana who just stayed there for me. I blushed at a realization.

I didn't... do Serana for others. The stupid thought made me laugh but it was empty of humor, a laugh of sadness. Serana leaned in, and whispered softly in my ear, "I'm still here."

"I'm sorry, for sending you away all those years ago."

She battled a hand at it dismissively, saying, "Oh, I'm immortal, I'll get over it. I was also the one who turned you down." She didn't look at me when she said, "I really did need you nine to ten months later though."

"Was that when you mourned your father's death?"

"Pfft, I helped you kill him. I-" she sighed, and soberly muttered, "I will probably always mourn that day."

"I still don't know if Akatosh is my mom, my dad... sent me down in an egg."

She laughed but I was serious. I never figured out who my parents were and now I most likely was going to die without knowing. I became swallowed by my destiny, why was I here? To defeat Alduin? To end the civil war? That's done and yet the sword hasn't left my hand. Is the saying always true? Those that live by the sword are bound to die by it.

"Hey, by the-" Serana sighed, lifting up my head, "somebody's, I will die with you. You changed destiny once. You just need to nudge it over a bit. Let's do this."

???'s pov

Gaining magika slowly over time I used passively healing spells as I traveled through the forests. I can't risk another engagement until I can use the benefits of my Atronach birth-sign. Maybe I should travel to the stone as well? No, I decided as I cast a high-level camouflage spell, I need to watch my prey... and the vampire's friends.


	9. Swallowed

Paarthurnax Jr.'s pov

I was laying on my daddy's bed crying into the lavish pillows. Sheet lightning struck outside during high noon. I just want to watch the rain and how the wind tossed the ocean from the balcony like father would but I already snuck into the market the other day.

My friends from before wouldn't even look at me.

What did I ever do to them? I didn't do anything to them! Wait... what if daddy had done something? Is that what he was always sad about? Was that why he had to leave? "Ugh!" I threw a pillow at the wall, "I just want my daddy back!"

"Paarthurnax~" a watery voice called causing my blood to grow cold. Goosebumps went up and down my arms and when I thought I was hearing things it called again, "Paarthurnax~"

"Who's there?!" My palms began to feel sweaty and my brow began to feel moist. I leaned over the bed and looked underneath. Besides dust, there was a chest, a small personal chest underneath. This time the voice was louder, closer, "Paarthurnax~"

I regarded the box for a moment but curiosity was getting the best of me. My hand shook as I reached towards the box until it spoke again causing me to recoil. Before I could flee, the watery voice said, "Paarthurnax, I can get your father to come to you."

After hearing that, I tentatively grabbed the chest and pulled it out from under my father's side of the bed. I even grabbed Dragonbane and set it next to me, just in case. Opening it, I saw a wooden Dragon Priest mask and a big black book. Distant thunder drummed in the distance when the book said, "Hello, Paarthurnax~"

"Who," I shook with confusion and disbelief, "are you?"

"I am a book your father read when he was younger and he learned many secrets from."

"What..." I glanced at the door, thinking that I heard someone coming, "kind of secrets?" I heard a smile in the books voice,

"Useful ones."

Well that's cryptic as all hell and Oblivion, I thought.

"Paarthurnax?" Mother called, "who are you talking to?"

It appears someone was coming.

I pulled the book from the box and said, "How do I get my father back?"

In response tentacles latched onto my wrists. "He will come," the voice cooed, "we just wait."

Once the book opened and tendrils grabbed my head I screamed, "Mother!"

She came in and the last look I saw in my mother's eyes was horror as the book sucked me, Dragonbane and the mask into it.

The short ride back to Solitude was riddled with rain. The sky was grey and our horses kicked up mud as we went, not wanting to get more soaked than we had to. We passed the bodies of the highwaymen and I didn't look at how the blood mixed with the rain, or how bloated they were, nor did a pay attention to my horse stepping on something strung from their bodies from being viciously popped like zits.

I had an impossible mission, and it was one that if I didn't overcome the odds my life and that of my family was on the line. I tried remember the last time I had something so personally involved with a quest in the past but came up null. Maybe it was the fact that I had nothing to lose before, I mean Skyrim would've most likely been turned into glass by Alduin but I would've been dead or died trying to stop it. Now, if I die, Elisif will be a widow and High Queen. Paarthurnax would grow up without a father and the possibility of him becoming a monster would be increased. Then he would become High King and then-

A wolf crossed the road and caused our horses to rear back and I yelped a curse. The wolf, intimidated by our size in our horses ran into the brush and out of sight. I cursed my beating heart and tried to concentrate on the road and calming my soul. Serana gave me a weary glance as we stopped there, calming our horses before moving on. No doubt the question of 'are you alright?' was on her lips but she didn't ask it. She didn't need to. She probably dealt with the chance of her family dying for years and years and knew what I was feeling more than I did.

"Oh," Serana broke the silence, going to untie the axe on the side of her horse, "did you want your axe on your horse?"

"No," I answered, snapping the reins of Frostheart, "you're going to need it."

When we entered Solitude the sky was almost black at high noon. The streets were void of life except for the guards staying close to shade from the rain as water slapped at me and Serana sideways on the wind. The water soaked the cloth of my shroud and made it stick to my coif and the wind whipped it about.

Arriving at the Blue Palace I heard my wife's scream. He's here, I thought, that mage-thief carved through my guards. I jumped off Frostheart and shoulder rammed my own door.

Glancing around frantically I screamed, "Elisif!"

Guards rushed to where she screamed and I followed them. I slipped and caught myself on the wall as I hurried up the stairs while the guards let me take point. "Don't worry Paarthurnax," Elisif cried, "I'll get you out!"

"Elisif!"

I rammed the door into my chamber and the pain in Elisif's eyes as she shook head in disbelief. The book in her hands glowed green as a watery laugh filled the room. "No!" I screamed as the book swallowed my wife.

Once the book clomped into the marble floor I scooped it up, willing myself inside but the book did nothing.

Hermaeus Mora wasn't letting me in. The guards just stood around me perplexed at what they had just witnessed. No one uttered a sound, the rain provided ample background before I slapped the book closed, bagged it, and went to the balcony.


	10. Roses & Briars

I strode towards the balcony and climbed atop my chamber in the rain. The adrenaline in my veins made the strain on my muscles non-existent and once at the top I screamed at the sky with my Thu'um the name,

"Paarthurnax!"

Thunder and lightning struck and boomed as I stood in the rain. My head was pounding, my vision was tunneling and by the second it grew worse. I cried out with my Thu'um again,

"Paarthurnax!"

Then as if in response a great fwoom grew closer until I spied Paarthurnax barreling in the air towards me and landing atop the Blue Palace with me.

"Zu'u hon hi, Doviikin—I hear you, Dragonborn. 

Zu'u hon hi zaan, hi yah ak— I hear your cry, you seek guidance."

"I need to go to Solstheim, to pursue a Daedric Prince."

Paarthurnax gave me a cross look.

"It's dire!"

"Hi togaat unt yah deyrah—You attempt to pursue Daedra? 

Deyrah folook hi, Doviikin. Hi paar yah him daan, zeymah— Daedra haunt you, Doviikin. You ambition to pursue your doom, brother."

"Paarthurnax," I begged both in voice and gesture, my hands out pleadingly, "the Daedra took my wife and son."

As if on cue sheet-lightning boomed in the air and Paarthurnax shook his head. "Tovit... togaart stin him kiim, him kul–To seek, no, to attempt to free your wife... your son." He looked away in thought, shifting his weight on the building. With a deep guttural sigh he said, "Loseri daanik, Doviikin—you're doomed, Doviikin. 

Mu vosaraan stin him kiim, him kiir—We make haste to free your wife, your son. 

Vosaraan, grah-zeymah—Hasten, battle-brother."

"Don't leave without me!" A woman grunted, scaling the building to my left. I ran to her and pulled Serana up while Paarthurnax turned around for launch. I practically jumped onto my dragon-friend's back and helped Serana on who grabbed my middle to brace herself. Going into the sky I used another shout to clear the way so Paarthurnax could get on top of the storm.

???'s pov

I stood in the corner of the throne room in Mistveil keep. Silent, as the day was about to close her windows and the night to open his doors wide. Jarl Black-Briar gave the judgement of her last case, some civil issue, a marriage dispute involving a divorce going how most divorces go: horrible. Once the couple left the old woman let out a deep sigh and snapped audibly.

Standing, I deactivated my invisibility spell and advanced to the place where the two worthless mules were standing earlier and I bent the knee. The Jarl of Riften smirked down on me.

"Have you news? Spymaster Ethrellden?"

"I do my lady, the spies of the Black Rose Society have heard tale that both the High Queen and High King have disappeared. As for the other assignments you requested about certain theories of controversy," I dug in my pouch and discreetly looked at her guards before going up to her handing her a notebook, "a written report of our findings."

The Jarl flipped through a few pages and smiled before turning to the guard on her left. After saying leave us she met my eyes and once the guards left us the hall was silent. "You're good for a dark elf, should the Thieves in the Ratway cause trouble you might just be my rat-poison." She closed the notebook, triumph in her voice, "So the High King isn't what he is cut out to be, is he?"

"No he is not mi'lady." I uttered lowering my hood to let my black shoulder length hair drape my shoulders. A lone braid with a cardinal feather was in front of my right eye as I said, "It appears that he has neglected Markarth on the premise of that Jarl Igmund was making deals with the Forsworn and now it has gotten to the place that the King of Rags threatens to take Markarth."

"Hmm," Maven thought a moment, hand to her lips before saying, "I need more time, send someone to make sure the King and Queen don't return. Have your spies dig deeper, I want to know what happened in Solitude, thank you Ethrellden." She patted my elbow, "Oh, and have the tax collector get your payment. You are dismissed for the evening."

I saluted her, my fist clapping to my chest and walked away.


	11. Tel Mithryn

It wasn't until my emotions settled that I was self-conscious of Serana's touch. Her proximity to me, the warmth of her, do vampires even have body warmth? I breathed a deep breath and asked, half-shouting over the wind, "So... that man who attacked us, what do you think of him?"

"That was no mere mortal, Talion. I hesitate to call it a man."

"What happened back there? When I was in the catacombs?"

Serana curled herself around me tighter as she recalled, "I was building camp and I didn't hear him, see him, or even smell him until I heard him chuckle and he bound a conjured shield and sword."

"He summoned a shield?!" I shook my head, "Go on."

"Then I used my spells on him and he just laughed. Talion," she added, "he absorbed some of my spells."

"He must be using the Atronach Stone, so his magika regeneration is lower than normal."

"I don't know Talion, something is off about that man."

"I've never seen you so worried," then I addressed the driver, "Paarthurnax!" I shouted, "Land in front of the giant mushroom! A powerful wizard lives there!"

"Well if it isn't the Telvanni house member with a head denser than his plot armor." Neloth said in his nose-in-the-air voice, for some odd reason I felt like he was talking to someone else, "I guess I should probably thank you for getting so far in this story, the author just had to break the fourth wall."

I glanced around, walking slowly towards him, "Neloth, what potions have you been making and why didn't you share?"

"Pfft, please, your finite insignificant mind is so blind to the world around you."

He glanced over my shoulder and saw Serana and asked, "Is that a vampire? Did you bring her so I can test out my holy water experiments?"

"NO." Serana answered.

"Neloth," I put a hand on his shoulder, and got the Black Book in my other hand, "I'm here because of this."

Neloth jumped back and swatted the book onto the ground with the book in his hand.

"You twit! Do you have any idea how bad Hermaeus Mora would like to pry my research from the deepest reservoirs of the grand depths of my great and powerful mind?"

"He knew?" Serana piped up from behind me.

"Of course I knew," Neloth answered carefully stepping around the book, "I cautioned-" he looked at me for a lost second, "whatever your name is from going to Apocrypha but oh-" he quoted in falsetto, "I gotta defeat a whacko named Miraak. I knew at that moment something bad was going to happen, gotta and whacko aren't even words! The ignoramus was going to get himself killed!"

My eye twitched in annoyance, Neloth has read the books before and didn't say that at all.

"Neloth!" I said gripping his shoulders, "My son and wife are in Apocrypha."

"Let me guess," he said swatting my hands away, "you left the book where a child could get it?"

My silence answered him. Neloth peered at Serana. "See? Ignoramus! That's like- ugh, it's so supremely stupid even I can't make a comparison but the author had to cause drama."

"What?" I muttered confused.

"Nothing." He dismissed and wondered aloud, "Can't you just like- no, I guess you can't just marry someone else-" he glanced back-and-forth at me and Serana a bit before gasping in realization and whispered, "is she your..." he cleared his throat, "concubine?"

"NO." Serana and I said in sync.

"Well you two are basically cohabiting with each other! So by definition-"

"Neloth." I said in a low authoritative tone.

"Ugh, you need a dictionary." He groaned, "Fine, if you so badly want to trod towards your certain death I have information and something that may help you." He went over to a chest mumbling where did I put it, or I was looking for that the other day and other nonsense similar to that before he pulled out a Morrowind-style lamp and exclaimed hazah triumphantly and set it on the ground.

"That should get you in!"

"The info Neloth, then I might know what I am supposed to be going in."

"Oh yes, hmm, well my associate in Morrowind told me of those who are getting a theory off of the ground about the Dwemer learning the art of harnessing souls in soul gems from Daedra. I believe it to be nonsense, but supposedly adventurous members of House Redoran and Telvanni have found discoveries of what are called Doors of Mirrors."

"So I should be able to take a Door of Mirrors to Apocrypha?"

"If they exist, yes, but I must warn you; when you die in the book you are spat out like when you got to the end remember? You should be able to transverse all of Apocrypha but if you die-" he shrugged his shoulders, "-you were a nice assistant."

I took the lantern and asked, "What does it do?"

"That lantern was designed by House Redoran adventurers and should get brighter the closer you get to a Door of Mirrors and supposedly the only door on your side of the great pond is in Blackreach."

"Where's the closest door?" Serana asked.

"Morrowind." Neloth answered simply.

"Well, why can't we go there?" I asked, "I'm part of House Telvanni."

Neloth walked towards me until our noses were practically about to touch. Zero humor in his voice he droned, "You. Would. Not. Survive." Then he stepped back and said, "And the High King of Skyrim riding a fire breathing dragon into foreign lands? Do you see me riding a dragon everywhere you twit? You would be dead before your dust hit the ground."


	12. The Widowmaker

"Neloth," Serana asked, "we also ran across another very powerful mage, I was wondering if you knew him."

"His technique is absolutely foreign to me." I added, "I believe I've seen him walking on water and I know for a fact that he summoned an entire body of bound armor."

"Wait, you mean mages don't walk on water in Skyrim?" Neloth said his mouth agape. "Divines, first they outlawed levitation and now everything magnificent about magic. I bet the Dragon Priests didn't care about some stupid law, now only criminals and omnipotent mages like me can use those spells."

Without moving he summoned a gauntlet on one hand in display, "Spells like this have been summoned in Morrowind since the 3rd era," he smirked as the gauntlet dissolved, "he bound and entire set of armor? He likes Conjuration, what else?"

"He absorbed Serana's spells and cast spells on his feet that allowed him to jump clear over me with a bound greatsword."

"Hmmm, that reminds me of an old friend of mine, a Brenton. A good Brenton assistant just like you. He was a prisoner released during the 3rd Era and became a hero of Morrowind. Azura's champion, the Nevarene." Then Neloth's unceremonious nature returned, "In some aspects he was a thief, and had assassins on his tail left and right back in the Dark Brotherhood's better days. Cleared out the Morrowind Capital City's sewers, full of them, but used his coin made from honest and nefarious deeds alike in making spells."

"Wait, so you could help me make my own spells?" I asked.

"Are you mad? Once hyperinflation set in on Imperial gold you couldn't give me Solstheim if it were made of septims to teach dimwits like you to make your own spell. You're just a few centuries to late I'm afraid."

"Guys," Serana broke in, "what did your friend look like?"

Neloth scratched his head and admitted, "I actually don't remember. I usually know faces but not names but his name was Dimitri Alterianni, the poor soul made a promise to Boethiah for immortality or something. Another rumor is that he went to Akavir, a land-mass far away from Tamriel. Rumor also has it he haunts some of the most powerful wizards but only reads their notes as they're writing them. He loved magic, the boy felt like he could do anything. The obsession actually became unhealthy, since he supposedly sold his soul to Boethiah of all Daedric fiends. Now, him I could see with Hermaeus Mora," he gave me a flat look, "not your dumb hide."

"Thanks..." I said awkwardly.

Become 'unhealthy'? Says the one who has killed several of his assistants in 'accidents', I thought.

"Speaking of," Serana said crossing her arms and burning me through with a look, "I happen to know the champion of Boethiah. Would it be possible for this Dimitri to be reincarnated to hunt this champion?"

"I have no idea mi'lady, now!" Neloth said clapping his hands together, "Your favorite part of coming to see me: your fees for my assistance."

"Oh boy..." I groaned.

"I'm going to be coming along for the ride!"

I arched a brow, "The great Neloth is coming into battle with me?"

"Oh Oblivions no! You seriously thought I would stoop that low? No, I perfected that spell that recorded your memories when you helped me with my research with Briarhearts so that I can see what you see, hear what you hear, and we can even converse."

"You're wanting to use this spell on both of us?" Serana asked nervously.

"Of course!"

"Serana," I comforted, "you can trust him."

The sky was dark and star-filled as Serana and I cooked dinner. I turned the spit with the Ash Hopper body part on it as Serana came from the shadows wiping her mouth. She sat on a rock and coughed, "Ash Hopper isn't the best."

"Hopefully you'll get used to it." I muttered.

"It certainly is the most exotic thing I've had in a long time."

I smirked and salted the meat while turning, the sound of a herd of netches lowing in the background. The sound of a strider also sounded as Serana admired the night sky and the sounds of Solstheim. I glanced at Paarthurnax who was sleeping on a giant mushroom like any other several-thousand year old dragon who just flew a marathon.

I cut off a slab of Ash Hopper and ate the gooey meat like jerky. I tried not to think of what part I was eating but I was pretty sure I was cooking the abdomen. After gulping down my slab I went to get more.

"Talion, isn't that the part with most of the guts in it?"

"I don't think so..." but once I got another slab something like intestines hung lazily from where I was cutting. Frozen for a few moments, I tossed the slab I cut away into the fire. Nauseous, all I could say was, "Nope. Nope! Not hungry anymore. Find something else!"

Serana reared back laughing at me. "Guess I was right."

"Anyways," I said deciding to just burn the rest of the kinda inedible abdomen, taking apart the spit, "I'm going to go for a walk."

"I'll come with you."

I looked at her and smiled before memories of old times fluttered into my mind. I sighed from the pressure of the world on my shoulders and told Serana to stay close. I trod north, in the general direction of Miraak's Temple, I don't know why I left my head protection at camp as we walked. Maybe it was because I needed some fresh air, those helmets were always stuffy.

The farther north we got, the ash under our feet slowly turned into dirt, and then permafrost. The sky also became filled with the additional light from auroral lights. Coming up a hill I spied a group of hunters butchering a deer during a late night hunt. Serana came up to me and stated, "Well, they look okay."

They wore furs and had bows. One had a torch but he didn't have any identification of belonging to a group. It was to dark to tell.

"I'm going to see if they have some cooked venison for me to buy."

"I'll cover you from back here."

My feet crunched the snow as I greeted, "Heill!"

"Greetings," one said, "what do you want?"

"I was wondering if you had some provisions for barter. My-" I glanced back at Serana, "concubine and I aren't accustomed to Ash Hopper."

"I have some bread my wife made me, 20 gold?" One called.

Ripoff, I thought but said, "I'll take it, any jerky? Or cooked venison?"

The men, interested in making some honest coin came into the moonlight and I noticed that they all were skalls... except for the wolf-cloaked Stormcloak refugee. Once they got closer to me I cast a worried glance back at Serana and she crept closer non-threateningly. The eldest skall stopped and gripped his partner's shoulder a second before unsheathing his sword with a hiss.

"What are you doing back? You already tried to give Hermaeus Mora our secrets."

The others, not knowing what was going on unsheathed their weapons as well, trusting their leader. I sighed and answered, "I happened to be on the isle and wished to purchase provisions from you. I promise."

"You are not welcome on this isle, genocidal snake!"

"I do not see a skall embassy in Raven Rock, nor your name written on the ground I stand."

"You know this is our land!"

The Stormcloak bore his eyes into me.

"Gothi," one of the younger hunters pleaded, "this man came to trade, lets just finish the hunt and return to the Hof."

"Son, this man is the one the refugees talk about."

Now all their eyes bore into me.

"The Widowmaker?" A girl, maybe seventeen echoed with a brown pony tail.

"You know," the eighteen-year-old or so Stormcloak started, "my mother, my sisters... were in Windhelm when it was taken."

"Were you there?" I snapped, "Because if you weren't then your in for a surprise."

There was a cold smirk in the boy's voice but he had a Stormcloak helmet on, hiding his face, "I heard. The Stormcloaks sent the women and children to Sovengarde. Do you know why?"

I remained silent as the others in his group listened to the man's tale. "Because there are things worse than death like bearing the illegitimate son of one of four Imperial rapists. Or being sold for slaves to die in the deserts of Hammerfell. Or their sons being killed in the gladiatorial pits of Cyrodil. Once the elder men explained it to me it was easier to be at peace with their death than to dream of what horrors they were living in." He unsheathed another axe, preferring dual-wielding, "I'm not letting you leave peaceably, Widowmaker."

"Young man, think on that title, and go back to your family."

The skalls were looking to him to take point and the boy huffed. "They're dead, you snake!"

He lunged at me but I sidestepped his wild attack and grabbed him around the neck when he stumbled. Holding him up as a body bag two of the skalls drew bows. I dug into the man's throat, as he weakly rebelled and I cast an Ebony flesh spell as I was shrouded in shadows. The poison effect swallowed my hostage as I kept pressing my metal fingers into his trachea.

"You sealed your fate in coming here!" The elder skall boomed.

Blood spurt onto my hand. "No, you sealed yours."

Ripping out the Stormcloak's throat I shoved him into his allies and bought myself time to draw my Bloodskal blade. An ice spike from behind me found a new home in one of the two archer's guts and he collapsed, screaming in pain. The old man charged me when I blocked his sword, slit his throat adeptly with the tip of my blade and spun into a power attack to cleave him in half and shoot a red arc at the young men behind him. Kicking him over I went in to carve up the three men in front of me until an arrow was redirected from my head via Ebony flesh.

I cursed and I fell into the dirt as one of the younger men loomed above me. He raised a mace but before he could cave-in my head an ice spike caved-in his. I heard Serana yelp from an arrow as the boy with ice for brains collapsed.

Another boy kicked me down as his partner went for Serana. He fumbled with a knife and got on top of me but I grabbed his hand, dropped the Bloodskal blade and punched him. Once he was dazed I bound a sword and swiped his stomach.

All the strength leaving him he croaked out a cuss when I threw him off. I glanced at Serana who jumped on her foe, biting his throat like a wolf. The boy I gutted stumbled in the woods; and the poor soul left a trail of all a manner of things pertaining to human anatomy in his wake. The only ones left were the archers, the girl one who shot me and Serana was half-carrying-half-dragging her comrade.

We walked up behind her and her wounded comrade cried out. "C'mon I'm getting us out of here!"

That was the last thing she said before an ice spike went through her throat.

She dropped her friend and hit her knees, holding the spike going through her throat. I swatted her weakening hands away and twisted the spike, ending her pain. Serana tossed me my Bloodskal blade and I rolled over the skall boy crawling away from me with my boot, and raised the tip of my blade and-

Stopped.

The boy whimpered, the youngest of the group, looked so much like an older version of my son. Was my mind just making this up? I thought, I've killed younger, the Stormcloak's began drafting teenage girls they were so desperate. Even Tulius, I mentally recalled, with no promises of reinforcements due to the coming war in Cyrodil drafted young people; such was war, the young died for the old. Why then did I stop?

"Serana," my voice cracked, "he reminds me of my son."

The skall coughed blood on me and I couldn't move. Serana came to my side and took my bloody, armored hands, "I can't do it but I can't move. I don't know why!"

Shhhh, Serana cooed and took the blade from my hand and tossed it from us. She knelt down and stroked the boys hair away as she hummed a tune for the boy to sleep, draining his life in the most humane mercy killing I've witnessed in war. She picked up my sword and hugged my side as she walked us back to camp.


	13. Relocation

Rest is not for the wicked, I thought as we flew back to Skyrim. I don't know if I've slept since I shouted that priest to dust. I would be fine if I had Beastblood but I don't, so the lack of sleep was affecting me in numerous ways. However when I did sleep, I had nightmares full of paper and if you ever have been into Apocrypha you should probably have War-Shock flashbacks at any stacks of paper being turned rapidly.

I keep seeing a Dragon Priest wearing the wooden mask, standing at the end of a hall of burned, aged paper. Dragonbane was on his back and tentacles came out of his robe at the hems and sleeves. He turns to look at me and the mask slips off his face to reveal my wife and son horrifically morphed, begging me, "Kill us."

Then I wake up.

I'm not shaking.

Or crying.

I just wake up and continue on.

I don't know if that's more disturbing than the dream itself. Feeling nothing, knowing that if I fail that dream can become reality. I dozed off again and then I was woken by Serana. "We're here Talion, Mzinchaleft."

"Good, good," I croaked in exhaustion, "the most straightforward entry. Paarthurnax!" I went to his head and hugged him, my voice cracking, "Thank you, thank you so much! Farewell."

Paarthurnax nodded and soared into the air.

"Do we need a key?"

"The Attunement Sphere. Should be in there."

"You left it there?" Serana asked, walking towards the entrance. "Hope no-one used it."

"If they did we should still be able to get in." I groaned getting in the elevator.

"Talion," Serana asked, "are you..." she hesitated, shifting her weight on her feet, "alright?"

"Peachy, how else do you think?" I snapped.

"I meant do you need sleep?"

"I need to get to Blackreach!"

Serana grew quiet and got into the elevator with me. I pressed the dwarven button and we descended into darkness. I sighed, "I'm sorry."

"Your the silent and moody adventurer," she teased, "I know."

"Oh? And you're my loyal concubine?"

I saw her eyes look at me in the darkness as the elevator's gears continued to whir. She continued to stare at me for a moment and my heart fluttered. I shouldn't have said that, I thought.

"Oh Divines!" Neloth boomed in our heads, "Get a room already! I won't tell."

Serana and I both cursed as our ears rang, in fact we both cupped them in pain.

"Oblivions, Neloth you sound like a bloody Divine!"

"Ha! I always have, you fool!"

"No!" Serana grimaced, "Like you're so loud if you don't quiet down our ears are going to bleed!"

"Well having my voice to be the last thing you hear wouldn't be too bad. Here, I'll see what I can do to fix this issue, you go do whatever it is you're doing." He shouted behind him, "Servant! What's your name again? Where's my Nirnroot tea?!"

As if on cue the elevator reached the Great Lift, or simply, another elevator or lift that goes into Blackreach. I walked towards the lift and noticed the light shining from my bag. I took out the lantern Neloth gave us and observed it giving off as much light as a normal lamp.

"Well, we're close."

I pulled up my coif, and set my bag down to unpack my headgear and potion pouch I used to keep on my lower back. It's been a while since I've worn it and it took a bit to put it in its old place. Having personally combat tested it the leather, sea sponges and other shock absorbers will protect my potions if I fall, but if my full weight rested on the bag for a few about a minute or two I could blow up. No, no that was my old poison bag, you did not want your poisons to bust.

Serana was waiting at the lift. "You nervous?"

I thought a moment and shrugged. Not wanting to admit my feelings.

"Well I am, and I know you are."

"I'm just tired Serana."

"Uh huh, if you are then we should camp."

"Serana." I growled in a low, authoritative voice. She sighed and kept silent as I joined her on the lift beside her. "Into the depths we go, and unto the breach once more."

Ethrellden's pov

"I have another report, Jarl Black-Briar. A dragon, much like the one the High King left Solitude on, has flown over Solitude and towards the Northern Mounts of Skyrim."

Maven let out a thoughtful breath and began to walk around her throne.

"And of the assassins I told you to send?"

"Even though you did not request it, my liege. I already gave them backup duties should they not find a target."

Maven began pacing, like she had expected us to stop a dragon, and so I added, "My spies assume that the High King went to Solstheim to get his wife and son out of a book of sorts. It's well known, even to you great Jarl, that the High King received foreign recognition and favor in the eyes of Neloth, the Telvanni wizard in Solstheim. So it's more than likely he consulted with him there."

She stopped and asked, "How's the Thieves Guild, Ethrellden?"

So sudden, I noted.

"All is as it should be, my Jarl." I lied.

She paced again, "Thank you Spymaster Ethrellden, you're dismissed." I rose to leave but before I could depart the Jarl added, "Oh, Ethrellden?" I turned to he and she gave me the smirk of Sithis, "I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were my liege."

"Right, you have a nice evening Spymaster."

I turned on my heel and left the hall sweating. The night was cool, just like several other nights in Skyrim. The wooden buildings of Riften creaked or groaned when I passed. Going past the well at the market, I didn't go to the Ratway. Oh no, Delvin and Brynjolf were sure to try and slit my throat; I went to the docks through the warehouse. Once I stepped out the door a sword was at my neck.

"Hello," I uttered, "Karliah. You knew I was coming."

The petite dark elf sheathed her sword. I was trying to be discreet about admiring her physical beauty but ever since I told her of my feelings she's been a bit more trusting... and much more self-conscious. She arched a brow at me, "I told you not to look at me like that."

I kept my eyes straight ahead and sighed, "My apologies."

"So," her sweet voice asked, "how did today's meeting go?"

"I think she's suspicious of me keeping secrets from her of the Guild."

"Hmph," Karliah thought aloud, "but she can keep secrets from you? Typical Maven."

"I know right? I'm a spymaster, keeping secrets is what I do. We know she consults two other spymasters behind my back and my reports of the Guild are probably really beginning to differ from theirs."

"Can you keep the act up a little longer?"

"Karliah, Maven is getting ready to attempt a coup on the High King. Her spymasters probably told her to act now, and if she thinks that the Guild is on his side," I leaned forward for emphasis, "which it is. Then she's going to pour rat poison into the Ratway."

"What then are you suggesting?"

"Relocation."

"We can't do that-"

"Nightingale Hall, Karliah."

He pug face turned into a scowl, "You've been following me."

"I'm a spymaster... after all."

"That still feels-"

"Then call it tailing Karliah," I snapped, "thieves do it all the time but for the love of the Divines heed my words. Please?"

Without another word I went back into Riften. My fists were clenched, as I walked and mentally begged, please Karliah, take my advice! I don't want to see her or anyone else becoming like my crew back in Morrowind. Once back in my home I realized I unconsciously stroked the feather in my hair and stopped myself.

"Oh Divines," I mumbled to no one at all, "I miss you so much... Sieriell."

A/N: Pronunciation!

Ethrellden (lower e like in health not ē as in eel, eth-rell-den.

Rell rhymes with tell)

Sieriell (not cereal but cer-Ī-L or just say seer- then I- then L)


	14. Vulthuryol

The lift lowered us into the unnatural blue light of Blackreach. Serana gasped at the sight, the beauty of all the light in this Dwemer tomb. Glowing mushrooms the size of Tel Mithryn were spotted amongst the glowing spores encased in this space but I wasn't looking at that... I was looking at her smile.

I shook my head and tried to concentrate but in vain. Why? I thought, why after all these years does she come now? Then I remembered her trying to tell me a secret on that rooftop in Solitude. Was that it? She really needed to tell me something?

"Serana," I shifted my bag on my shoulder as the lift landed, "why did you come back?"

Instantly Serana couldn't look at me. "C'mon," she murmured, stepping into Blackreach, "we got a job to do."

"I know you're not naive enough to think you could have got me back. You're smarter than that, there's a reason. One that's important to you."

"Look," she uttered in a no-nonsense voice, and turned to face me, "the reason I'm here now is to help you put your family back together. If you didn't come to get me in my camp I would have left Solitude on the note of what I told you on the rooftop that night."

"That I was your father but in another body, another situation?" I said stepping closer, "Or that you never told me that secret?"

Her eye twitched. "Both."

"Serana," I cooed, "what is it?"

"Don't say my name like that Talion." She turned and kept walking, "It's hard enough stuffing down the old joys of hearing your heart pound when you are around me."

Ugh, I mentally groaned, my heart was pounding right now for some uncomfortable reason.

I caught up to her in stride. "Any guesses where to go?"

"That light." Serana bit out, gesturing to a large suspended orb giving off a yellow light.

"Alright."

Letting her take point I noted Serana shaking her head in mental debate. While walking I tried to reflect on the conversation that night in Solitude on top of the Blue Palace.

"If you tell me your secrets, I'll tell you mine."

"Talion, you are becoming my father." She said.

"Serana," I lied to her and myself this time, "I'm not your father."

She picked up the lie and frowned as she shook her head.

"No, you feel worse than that don't you?"

"Yes," I admitted aloud to myself, "yes I do."

Serana crouched down suddenly and so did I. Having crept closer to her, shadows forming around me, I leaned out over cover to spot some Falmer by a fire. They seemed to be talking and for unknown reasons I was reminded of the history of the Falmer. They were once the great Snow Elves, driven by the Nords into the cracks of the earth for fear of death. Now what remains of their once beautiful society is their ugly, blind, and violent posterity.

Then there was Gelebor and his vampire snow elf brother Vyrthur. Vyrthur was trying to enact a prophecy that would erase vampire's weaknesses to sunlight, and all he needed was to sacrifice my lover at the time: Serana. Needless to say I didn't let that happen.

"Thinking about old times?" Serana whispered as she peeked up at the Falmer.

"Yeah, namely those Snow Elves."

"Remember those two dragons? At the frozen lake?"

I mentally groaned, "Those two might've been the closest in difficulty to when I fought Alduin in Sovengarde, don't remind me."

"What are we going to do?"

I thought up a quick plan. "I'm going to sneak in and cast a ward on the fire and the fire should trigger it." I looked up at the ball of yellow light, and the steps leading up to it. "You yell if something's up there when I spring the trap."

Without saying another word I crept up closer to the Falmer. I was conscious to draw my Bloodskal blade and prepared the spell before getting too close. The Falmer were conversing about something and I picked up a few words from that time I wrote down a translation of their language in a museum in Markarth to decrypt a friend of my friend's journal to clear her name.

It was quite a story.

Quickly I cast my Ice Ward and then there was an blinding cloud of ice and steam. Without hesitation I went in to dispatch the three half-frozen Falmer but before I turned around I heard buzzing. Oh Oblivion.

"Hunt-" Serana tried to yell but I swirled my sword around instantly and sliced a Chaurus Hunter in half. The now two hunks of man-eating bug knocked me over from their momentum. I hurried up, the two halves shriveling to death and I slashed a red arc at the Hunter on Serana. It recoiled and Serana used this chance to plug her dagger through it's head.

A Falmer Warmonger held up a staff barbarically and roared from the top steps as I ran to Serana. I don't know how Falmer can be blind but shoot so well but luckily today I was ahead of the Falmer's aim and quickly dragged the shaking Serana behind cover. She swatted my hands away. "I-I'm fine!" She grimaced.

She was bleeding from several stings to her stomach and I gave her some potions, telling her, "This is anti-venom and this is a healing potion." She tried to say something but I rolled out from cover and slashed at arc at the last Falmer.

The Falmer stumbled back and I rushed up the steps. Before the Falmer could try and freeze me, I impaled his head on my sword. Only after spitefully twisting my sword, snapping its neck, I took the sword out.

As soon as I heard buzzing I tried to slash my sword but I was just so exhausted that when the Hunter stung me, we twisted from its collision with me and I lost my sword. My weight smashed the Hunter into the orb but it pinched my shoulders it it's vice-grip as it stung me in my guts two more times. Screaming in pain I was forced to shout,

"Fus!"

The ball of light shook and made a ringing sound as the Hunter both recoiled and rocked back with it. In red visioned rage, I stuck my hands down it's mandible throat and I roared with effort. The head ripped in half with a sick gurgled screech and I collapsed as the Hunter's body hit the floor.

I dug into my potion pouch and cursed when I had no more anti-venom. I rocked back and forth as the venom burned my organs like my skin already was melted and dropped my guts into Daedric fire. I was panting and rocking back and forth from the pain as I used a healing spell, trying to outlast the venom's effects.

"Serana?!" I called.

"I'm good!"

I noticed how I was still in shrouded in shadow and glanced about wildly. My poison effect usually would have disappeared by now.

"Something's still here!"

Serana came up the steps, "Where?"

Then I heard a distant roar.

An all to familiar one.

"No..."

The thunder of wings beat closer until a dragon turned sharply and landed with a boom.

"Doviikin!" It hissed before mumbling a curse in Dovaghzul.

Serana cussed, hastily raising my dead Falmer friend to our banner and it launched lightning bolts onto the Dōv. The dragon took three lightning bolts before eating one of the dead Falmer and burning the remaining bodies with fire. He was trying to stop Serana from summoning more dead.

Serana launched frozen spikes down on the dragon and it roared. Cussing, I dug into my pouch and drank one of my best potions. Getting up, I unsheathed a Dawnbreaker and jumped down a few steps towards the dragon.

The dragon recoiled back, planning to go into the air but I let out my Thu'um, Dragonrend. 

"Joor-Zah-Frul!"

Now my throat and lungs burned worse than the venom earlier. I had used two different shouts in succession, I had done this when I fought Ulfric. I used one weaker shout, and then a full powered one because I thought I could handle it, but I thought I was dying afterwards.

The dragon cried out, letting out crocodile tears but I had to act quickly. I stabbed the bottom jaw into the earth, and pushed up on the upper jaw. The dragon breathed fire in response and all the pain made me push harder. With a sick pop, the flames stopped and I drew the sister-blade from her sheath before I drove the other Dawnbreaker into the dragon's brain up through the upper jaw.

I collapsed back and tripped over my Dawnbreaker as I fell out of the jaws of the beast. I couldn't move, couldn't speak; I had pushed myself too much. My reckless rage is going to be the death of me, I thought. Serana ran to me and in much effort I turned over so she could get a potion for me. Finding one she slipped off my headgear and put the bottle to my lips. Just before my eyes rolled back into my head and I went unconscious the potion kicked in and I coughed.

"Divines." I exclaimed with a croak. I got up and began digging into my bag for the lantern and cussed when the light was equal to a candle. Serana placed her hands on my shoulders and I croaked,

"I'm not stopping. Not resting."

"Talion," her voice cracked and I glanced back at her and the pain in her eyes shook me. Even I couldn't ignore the look and... yes, she had a point. My family needed me alive. Wordlessly, I slipped off the potion pack and took a bottle of skooma.

"Talion-"

I shook my head. "I won't be able to sleep without it."

I glanced over at the dragon, it's essence fading into visible ashes back to Oblivion and it's soul being absorbed by my blood. With a sigh I set my pack back like a pillow and Serana tried running her hands through my hair as I sipped skooma and tried to sleep. Then, and only then, did sleep's embrace welcome me.

(A/N: That dragon was Vulthuryol and is canon if you want to kill him. Also, you may have noticed that I spell Dōv funny, this is just to help newcomers not wonder why dragons are called "doves".)

I woke up to Serana sleeping on my chest. I discreetly glanced about, overly self-conscious about no one watching for danger. After a sigh, feeling safe for the time being I rubbed Serana's shoulder and tried to go back to sleep.

I woke her up though and she sighed. She glanced around and then scooted away from me. She whispered, "Are you awake?"

"What?" I smirked with my eyes closed, "Worried what I'd do if I caught you?"

She huffed hair away from her eyes.

"Divines! Are you two done yet?!" Neloth echoed in our heads.

I sat up, forgetting about that spell he put on us so we could stay in touch. He sounded normal, and that was a good thing. I looked up at the orb and asked,

"Neloth? Do you see what I see?"

"Oooh," he said in mock awe, "it looks like you are stupidly off course!"

Serana's eye twitched and she asked, "What do you suggest Neloth?"

"The Telvanni adventurers always found a small gap along the walls of Dwemer cities that led to the Door of Mirrors, mi'lady. Did this fool lead you astray?"

Wow Neloth, I thought, wooooow.

"Yeah." Serana said with a smirk.

"Well maybe if you weren't admiring his shoulders or whatever you could have led him the right way you idiot!"

I choked on a laugh and Serana's expression pricelessly flatlined. Neloth continued,

"All right, let me see... how am I sounding?" We both told him he sounded normal and he continued, "Splendid! Now if my maps are correct you are in the old civilized center of Blackreach."

I got up and started getting ready again.

"How long were we asleep Neloth?" I asked.

"You two slept together for six hours and you slept eight."

"Neloth," Serana blushed, "did you really have to word it like that?"

"Why do you two insist on beating around the bush about it?"

"Because," I growled in a low voice, "we insist. Now what do you know about Blackreach and this Door of Mirrors?"

He talked as I walked with the lantern in hand. Letting the growing light guide us he said,

"Well, Blackreach's history dates back to the Aetherium Wars of the 1st Era but it is believed that the Door of Mirrors could be an artifact that has existed before the dawn of man. See those glowing geodes, vampire?" He pointed out a glowing blue rock Serana was looking at, "That is most likely Aetherium, a resource that the Dwemer used to fuel their machines. A new theory to the Dwemer's extinction is that they angered the Daedra on the other sides of these Doors of Mirrors and poof! After The Battle of Red Mountain they got taken out."

"Poof?" I asked, passing the lift we came in on and skipping the passage to the Silent Ruin.

"I got tired of rambling for you imbeciles."

As we got closer to the entrance of the Reeking Tower the light of the lamp grew brighter. I kicked something and looked down at the mangled remains of a small group of Falmer. Well... I assumed it was more than one because I knew one didn't have that much guts.

"I've been waiting for you..." a familiar voice called out.

Oh no...


	15. Dimitri Alterianni

"I see the light, face me; fear quivers in Boethiah's voice from the prospect of your success."

I stepped around the corner and Neloth gasped in my head. "It is Dimitri."

Dimitri was coming down on the lift from the Reeking Tower. Bits and pieces of Frostbite Spiders coming down with him. His arms were crossed as he glowered down on us and the lift finally stopped.

"Neloth sends his regards." I said into the silence of the storm soon to come.

"Neloth," he rolled the names off his tongue and chuckled before muttering something in another language. "I haven't heard that name in a long time."

"He just called me an old cuss. An annoying one at that."

"You understand him?" I muttered out of Dimitri's earshot.

"He's speaking Old Nirn. The Nirn of the 3rd era."

"Then how come Serana wasn't speaking that and she's a Daughter of Coldharbour from the 2nd Era?"

"Who are you talking to?" Dimitri asked.

"Neloth," I admitted, "he heard what you said."

"Wait... what?! She's a-?!" Neloth yelled but Dimitri chuckled. I glanced back at Serana and she pretended to check her nails while she waited for Neloth and I to shut up.

"It's a pity that I'm going to test you."

"What?" I said confused.

"The path you are taking will lead you to a place of great power, one that could free me from Boethiah and I will be mortal again. If you can defeat my beasts, I will let you go to Apocrypha through the Mirror Door."

"But-"

With a dismissive wave of his hand he summoned three red-skinned and Daedric armored men and they brandished their weapons on us.

"Divines," Neloth exclaimed, "three Dremora?!"

"Serana?" I called.

"I see them!" She launched an ice spike and it impaled a Dremora but all it did was stumble and keep coming.

That's not good.

One prepared to blast me with a lightning spell and it wasn't until it hit me and I went flying that I realized it was chain lightning. Serana dived as the bolt struck through my shoulder and landed at where she was once standing. They can cast spells? How come I've never seen these things before? I got up, a painful hole in my shoulder and a Dremora leapt towards me.

Just a little hyper-aggressive, I thought, just a little. Weakened, I just tried to keep my sword level and when he landed I ducked under his swing. When I left my sword in him he fell down and probably for the third or more time in last few days I've been separated from my sword. Drawing a Dawnbreaker with my left arm I battled the other Dremora who used sword and shield.

It shield bashed me and attempted to stab me while I was dazed. Using all the strength I could muster I weaved away and under his sword and then he kicked me. After stumbling backwards the monstrosity charged me but an Ice Spike planted one of his legs in the earth and he face-planted into the ground. I glanced at Serana who had pinned every body part of the Dremora she was trying to kill with Ice Spikes.

My enemy swiped his sword at my feet but I stepped back and shocked him with one hand and stabbed him with the Dawnbreaker in my left hand. Having the holy weapon pierce it's heart it turned into dust.

Holy weapons, Meridia was right about needing these.

The Dremora I impaled from earlier was up, struggling frantically with the Bloodskal blade in his chest. I also saw Serana just axing her poor Dremora over and over but it refused to die even though all it's appendages were pinned with ice spikes. With a deep breath, I cast a Fast Heal spell, got a second wind and drew the other sword to decapitate my other Dremora and I walked towards Serana.

"Why." Shy axed the numb Dremora with each word, "won't. You. Die!"

Once I walked up to it the Dremora looked at me with wide eyes as I threw my sword into the ground...

Through him and turned him into dust.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

She flipped her sweaty hair back with a smile. "Yeah."

I looked at her a moment and she laughed, wiping sweat from her head. "Your heart is pounding."

Crap Serana, I thought and walked towards the cave that Dimitri disappeared into. Dimitri was illuminated by a Candelight spell as he slowly clapped his hands in half-hearted praise. He was sitting against the wall and his voice echoed,

"Good, good-"

"Did I pass, you fiend?"

"Hmph, fiend? Do you want me actually trying to kill you? One more test." This time he bound a visible spell in his hands and when he let it go it released three monsters I again had never seen.

"Neloth?"

"Divines," Neloth sobbed, "Dimitri is making me miss adventuring! I wish I could see your faces!"

"Really?!"

"And that's a Daedroth and two Winged Twilights just so you know. Gosh, the author and I are about to have a nerdgasm!"

"What?!"

There was a roar and two screeches that echoed within this cave. I screamed out an ululation, a battle cry in the form of my Time Slow shout.

"Tiid-Klo-Ul!"

I went under the Daedroth, a half-man-half-lizard abomination and shot chain-lightning through its shoulders which went through and sought the Twilights. The twilights cried out but I couldn't stop, I drew my Bloodskal sword and sliced the Achilles' tendons on the Daedroth before standing before Dimitri for a moment just as time restored itself.

He looked up at me, "What?"

"Your beast is defeated."

Dimitri closed his eyes and shook his head before laughing at me. "What? It can't attack us!"

"I can tell you don't know what you're up against. Daedroth are not only servants of Molag Bal, but besides their immense strength," I heard a watery sucking sound behind me as the beast tried to turn to me, "the Daedroth can also breath fire and poison its prey."

I turned around and quickly rolled, dodging the glob of corrosive poison spat at me. The beast was peppered by Ice Spikes and turned towards Serana to spew fire at her. Please be okay, I worried as I ran towards the beast and slashed its back. It roared in pain and swung a roundhouse strike but I ducked under it. I raised my sword and-

A lightning attack shocked me to my knees.

I glanced back, my body burning in pain, and saw that the Winged Twilight was barely alive and had zapped me. The Daedroth picked me up in it's hand and time slowed.

Serana screamed.

My mask, Konahrik glowed.

My back broke but an explosion of light healed me and the Daedroth threw me into the wall. I sat up to see Serana shooting the giant reptile in the throat with ice before swiping at the beast's stomach with the Rueful Axe, gutting it. Something rustled next to me and I was pinned onto my back by a screaming woman-beast.

Instinctively I punched it, rolled over when it was dazed, and dropped haymakers until my gauntlets pulverized the she-demon's face. I looked over to Serana who went to finish off the other Twilight with the thin lips of her axe.

Dimitri's slow claps filled the silence and he stood. Going to pat his Daedroth saying to us without looking, "Well, he's dead his body just doesn't know it yet," he said about his lizard, "I guess you passed."

He snapped his fingers and unsummoned all his beasts. "I was thinking about making you fight Clannfears and a Golden Saint but this is satisfactory. If you had capitalized on the time slow moment you could have killed my Daedroth quickly. Did you know that those Twilight's had healing abilities as well?"

"You're insane!" I said but he walked up to me with a smirk. Neloth was squawking in the back of my mind that I should be polite, Dimitri is a hero! Whatever...

"Am I the one going to go frolicking around in a Daedra's backyard? No. Hold still."

"Why-"

Before I could finish he began healing me and after he was done he applied the Dragonhide spell to me and Serana. We watched him confused and he patted Serana on the arm. "Good work, the Daedroth has a soft stomach."

He came to me and offered his hand, after some consideration I took it.

"Thank you, Dimitri." I gave him a salute, a fist to my chest. Finally calming down enough to realize that he and I had an honorable engagement, my old Companion honor flowing out on him. I don't know if Neloth or this man are considered the most powerful mages I have ever met.

"Good luck," he said walking away, "my daughter had married into the Wraith-Bloods. I'm glad the bloodline still has heroes, no matter how dumb and inexperienced they may be. I'm glad Akatosh blessed my posterity."

Serana's jaw dropped. "Talion?!"

"Dimitri-"

The man, looking younger than me, began to fade into darkness, "Boethiah isn't happy. I shifted fate in your favor boy." His eyes bore into Serana for some reason. "I can't say the same for your... friends."

"Dimitri!"

But then he was gone...

A/N: Vulthuryol=Lvl 50

Daedroth=Lvl 100 lol

Dimitri?= Lvl 1000 XD

Pronunciation: Dimitri (dim-ee-tree) or (demi like demi-god but demi-tree)

Alterianni (al-tier-ee-an-nee)

Vul- crap I don't know how to say that XD

Anyways, the names I've made thus far are: Ethrellden, Dimitri Alterianni, and Sieriell. Do you think they're good names? Mouthfuls I know, but I just thought them up kinda.


	16. Door of Mirrors

It was right there... 

Funny, it didn't even look resemble a looking-glass.

It was like a part of the night sky but with no moon, no auroras, just stars. That is, until you got close enough. Then it would light up with light like fire in a reflection of your shape.

I slipped off my potion pouch and sighed. The Daedroth had crushed all our potions, so I dumped the glass shards and liquids onto the floor. Before I slipped the bag back on Serana touched my arm and I stopped.

Her touch was so gentle that I stiffened. She stepped closer and enveloped me, hugging me tightly around my middle. For a moment I was frozen, just basking in her arms. She glanced up at me, her chin on my chest and she smirked.

"Your heart's pounding."

"Serana-"

"You still love me, accept it, Talion."

Sighing, I carefully tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. I didn't deny it.

No.

I can't deny it.

"It's like you said, Serana." I uttered as I wrapped her in my arms. "Marriage, isn't so much of a love thing, as it is a commitment."

"Talion-" her voice cracked.

"I may still love you, but I am committed to another." I whispered, "Till death, do us part."

"Talion, just a few minutes."

I raked my hands through her hair, saying nothing. She pleaded,

"For five minutes, like old times."

I just wiped the tears from her eyes. Smearing a bit of black gunk on her face.

"One minute."

I didn't say anything. What could I say? I just held her close and breathed a shaking sigh.

"One second." She whispered weakly. Then she reached out and tentatively took my crown. I let her and she cast it to the ground. "Just one, Talion." She then gripped the shroud and pulled it slowly off my head. "One." She gently tossed the mask away and pulled away my coif letting out my helmet hair.

Talion, my mind chastised, what are you doing?

Nothing.

Serana closed her eyes and slowly got on her tippie-toes.

Yes, my mind stated again, but what aren't you doing?

Stopping her.

I put a finger on her lips and smiled. "Serana," I kissed her head, "compromise. If I die, I'm a loyal husband," I kissed her temple, "and you die knowing that you were loved." Then I kissed her cheek and-

Stopped.

She didn't need to hear my heart pounding harder than it has in ages, I could see my face's reflection off of her eyes. She smiled a beautiful grin, she pecked my neck and cheek before pulling away.

"Compromise." She agreed, wiping the Twilight-monster gunk off of her face and checking her inventory and weapons. I retreated back a few steps and turned my back on Serana. Looking at the air confused, how do I do this?

I started, "Umm, Neloth?"

"Don't worry," he groaned as if he knew what I was about to say, "I won't tell." He yelled at someone in the background, "Bring me more tea! It was just getting good!"

My eye twitched. "You saw all that?"

"Did you seriously think I'd miss Dimitri beat your sorry hide?"

Wow Neloth, I mentally deadpanned, just wow.

"Neloth? Do you still have the Black Book?"

He went silent a moment and shouted, "Hey! Have you seen that little servant girl? No? Check outside, and if she's not there she's in the hellish place of Apocrypha."

"Don't tell me you forgot it was on your floor."

"Hmm?" He pretended, "I don't think I heard you."

"You're unbelievable." I groaned.

I could just see the smug smile on his face when he said, "I know I am."

A few moments passed and Neloth started again. "Okay! Get that biiig black book. Yes, the creepy one! DON'T touch it! It might swallow you. Seriously. Just get the book! Then you can go play with your friend you met today, Babette right? Set the book there. Yeesh."

"Anyways, if my wife and son are in one place we may try to get back to Tel Mithryn through the book."

"Then what?"

"Once all of us are out? Burn the cursed book."

"That's an okay plan, but don't you have books back in Solitude?"

"I can't remember where I put them," I admitted. He gave me an annoyed sigh,

"Do you want me to find their magical power and teleport them here?"

"Umm, sure-" Neloth offering help? And he can do that? "what's the catch?"

"Catch? I'm feeling rather magnanimous today. Just don't die. I need to see if I can store my recordings on soul gem fragments for more experiments."

"Oh yeah, before I forget... how does this door work?"

Ethrellden

"Assassins are in Solstheim Karliah. Did you take my advice?"

She sighed, propped up against the warehouse.

"We can't just pick up and leave Ethrellden! Why are you so worried? This is more than-" she arched a brow, "friendly concern."

I rolled my eyes, "I lost a group of companions before moving to Skyrim a few months back. With technical peace in Skyrim immigration picked up a bit."

"And I thought you directed the assassin's away from the High King's trail."

"I said I would try, the assassin is a hired operative on loan from the Dark Brotherhood and probably was talented enough to have found the trail herself."

She glared at me, unconvinced until I added, "Look if she complains about my inadequacy then Maven will have my head. She'll see that I misguided her assassin Karliah!"

Karliah bore her eyes into me before saying, "I trust you." Then she added, "A little. Find out about the other spymasters?"

I grit my teeth, why was I telling her everything? Well, I justified, I don't tell her everything. I do tell her a lot though.

"One's a Khajit and the other is an Argonian. The Khajit was born here in Skyrim and, get this, he was born blind."

Karliah scrunched her brow, "How did he become Spymaster then?"

"Everyone who knows him knows for a fact that he was raised by the Falmer. He acts as a guide for his agents on occasion and takes cavernous shortcuts. His name is Khan'zo and I haven't been able to find out about the other one."

"Ethrellden!" Another voice called from behind me. Turning back to the voice I nodded to Karliah, effectively and tacitly telling her to go. Three Black Rose operatives made their way to me.

This can't be good...


	17. Apocrypha

"You should be able to say where you want to go and if the notes of House Redoran are to be trusted... which they usually aren't, then the door should react to your voice and you can go through the door."

"Thanks Neloth."

"Remember what I said! Don't. Die."

As I slipped on my head gear and soaking potion belt Serana set an affectionate arm on my shoulder.

"We'll get them out of there, don't you worry."

Don't worry? Impossible, I thought.

I stood inches from the door, uncanny hisses were heard until I murmured:

"Apocrypha."

The colors of the door shifted with a shudder and a hiss before calming into a bile green. I took a deep breath, a final breath somewhat, of Tamrielian air and stepped through the door. The smell of soggy parchment then filled my nostrils and Serana coughed behind me as soon as she came through.

Pages.

Pages, books, and scrolls everywhere.

I vaguely remembered when I first came into Apocrypha. I had just gotten the Bloodskal Blade and was utterly speechless as the book swallowed me. Luckily good steel was just as effective in this world as it is in Tamriel.

Otherwise I'd have died. Later I found out that mortals cannot die when connected to Apocrypha via the Black Books due to some sort of tether to Nirn. Neloth blabbered about it in-comprehensively for thirty minutes.

From this paper island I stood on I could see that the areas I've explored were nothing compared to the magnitude of Apocrypha. I don't know why I didn't see the large mass floating in the distance in the clouds of this hell. To the left, in the skyline, the place where Miraak's body rots away was dwarfed by the floating fortress behind it.

Is that new? Or was I under some spell the last time I was here?

"Soooooo..." Serana thought aloud, "how do we get up there?"

"I have no idea." I stated.

"Perhaps," Neloth chimed, "you could ask one of the locals?"

Serana rolled her eyes. "And how are we-"

"That's actually not a crazy idea."

Serana blinked, confused.

"What?"

"I got an idea but first," I pointed out a flower on an adjacent island, "that should act as a lever and bring up a bridge."

"How are you going to get over there?"

I smirked, "Swim," and then shouted, parts of my being becoming suspended in Oblivion with my words, "Feim-Zii-Gron!"

Once ethereal I psyched myself up and jumped into the green slush under us and began swimming towards the adjacent isle. The swim was uneventful and I weightlessly climbed up the side of the island and then my ability cut out just as I was pulling myself up. My weight hit me suddenly and I almost fell back into the cursed soup of death under me. I glanced back at Serana who watched me with concern and I smirked under my mask.

"Oh, Divines!" I yelped over-dramatically and pretended to slip.

"Talion!" Serana cried and I laughed.

"I'm messing with you!" I yelled out over the divide between us.

"Just- Just get the bridge you milk drinker!"

Milk-drinker? Ugh whatever.

I pulled myself up and tapped the flower which let up a bridge from the green depths below. Serana shook her head as she approached and put her hood up. "Well," she commented, "you still got your sense of humor."

"Somewhat."

"Reminded me of when you were young and not soo," she jabbed drily, "thirty-eight."

"Blah-blah-blah, is all I hear, woman."

She chuckled as we continued closer to my old stomping grounds in Apocrypha. I crouched down to sneak around and was covered in shadow as I peered around a corner. Nothing was in the hall but I was halfway into hall when a green and black figure in green and black daedric armor began coming down the hall.

"Neloth?" I whispered.

"Your guess is as good as mine but I think it's a Dremora corrupted by Hermaeus Mora."

"Oh, I thought it was another Dimitri."

"That is a Dremora Lord you idiot."

I rolled my eyes and waited for it to get closer. It came around the corner and pulled its foot as if my armor burned his foot. Before complete realization struck I pushed him down but held his other foot on the ground. His knee bent violently with the weight of his armor and broke his leg. Screaming in pain I stood and shouted for him to obey me:

"Gol-Hah-Dov!"

My Voice washed over him and it laid back, relaxed, and showing no hostility at all. Not moving, it's voice hissed,

"Yess, Masster."

"Okay," Serana commented behind me, "that is creepier than when I raise the dead."

I kinda agreed with her. Miraak had used these powers to enslave people to rebuild his temple. The fact that the Dremora no longer protested of it's very broken leg made me shiver. I pulled a rope from my bag and tied it's hands over it's head before asking,

"Where are my wife and child? Do you know?"

"Your wife was deemed too weak for Herma-Mora's purposes and is being consumed in a plant near the chapter five exit."

Umm, do what? He continued like the puppet he was, "Your son is at the top of the floating fortress. At the throne room."

I glanced around and asked, "How do I defeat Herma-Mora?"

"The Lord of Dark Secrets? This I know not, but from observation I see Herma-Mora has his power due to knowledge. Therefore knowledge is his weakness."

"Too cryptic Dremora."

"One does not hoard materials because he has plenty but because he doesn't have enough. The joy he finds in hoarding knowledge is from a part of his psych wherewith he compensates, or covers up his dark secret, a secret none know. Nay, not a mortal soul. The Black Scroll is what you seek, I guarded it once."

"The Black Scroll?"

"Yea, a corrupted Elder Scroll."

"Wife?"

He pointed, "That way."

"Thanks."

I tied him up and took off running while Serana followed. Divines not my wife, I plead, not my wife. Halls and books shifted as I ran full tilt through the familiar book formations and stopped at yet another drawbridge.

There, there in the center of some plant was Elisif. I lowered the bridge, panting as I walked towards her, Serana was at my flank. I got closer to her and saw the networks of vines under her skin, draining her of her precious life. She raised her head once she sensed my presence, it was as if she aged ten years and her skin and eyes were discolored like jaundice but in shade of a green.

"T-" she croaked weakly, "Talion."

I was silent in shock, but do you know what the scary thing was? I felt nothing. Empty, helpless as this image was branded into my mind. Knowing all to well that this was all because of me.

I was analytical in my thinking after impulsively charging into traps, fights, and pain head on in the beginning of my adventures. My mind steadily became one of numbers, plans, laws of war, causes and effects, actions and consequences but now?

Helpless emptiness. Confused and confounded but yet it was right in front of me. It was so blunt it was like something cracked my head open and I was thinking with the brains that landed in the dirt. The reason why Hermeaus Mora left her undefended was because he knows what haunts me.

I balled my fist, he wanted me to come here. The plant was giving her just enough life so it can drink the marrow of her bones, and every bit of material of her body. If I cut her out, she'd die. If I left her, she'd die.

My wife-  
Was  
Going  
To die...


	18. Altraius Morax

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d like to thank Marro and The_Grouse as well as 1 guest for leaving kudos on this work!

**Chapter 18: Altraius Morax**

  
  


"Talion," Serana whispered, she could see and smell the life draining from her, we didn't have any potions and my restoration wasn't strong enough, "if we're going to act..."

She left it at that and I finished it in my head, we've got to act fast. I looked again at my wife, Hermaeus Mora wants to break me. Reality shimmered and gave way to my conjured blade.

"Elisif," I glared at Serana and she took tentative steps back, I redirected my focus and removed my headgear, "my wife. I'm can't lie to you," I couldn't look her in the eye, "you feel the weakness in your bones. There's only one thing I can truly guarantee you," I looked up at her my voice skyforged steel, "I will do everything in my power to keep our family together. Everything."

She groaned in effort from just nodding to me. Then it started.

I cut her connections to the vines, hacked at the veins going into her intestines and ripped her from the web of green that was attached to her back like a pad of thousands of needles. She screamed and set her down, dispelled my sword, and ice swirled in my hands before I coated her in ice. So much blood, so quickly...

I ran with her body, Serana flanked me like a wraith. The adrenaline, internal pain and my will boosted my stamina. Everything! I slid to a stop trying to remember the way. While glancing down a side hall a saw a shadow move back behind a corner. I knew it.

Frantically remembering the way I sprinted the opposite direction of the shadow. Elisif shivered and shook my arms in an agonizing mixture of cold and pain to such a degree red foam escaped her lips in a seizure. Tears streamed down my face, I felt as if the sky was falling. The eyes of my lover rolled into the back of her head and I screamed her name, as if it was going to give my bones strength. Everything. The masses of books, turning pages, expanding hallways all passed in a blur as I ran.

I crossed a bridge to the exit-book on a pedestal atop an arcing building. I opened it and kissed my wife on the lips and her touch left in a flash of green light. I ordered, "Neloth, take care of her."

No response, hmmm.

"Talion!" Serana yelled after me huffing. "Apocrypha's residents know we're here!"

"Hermaeus Mora planned this Serana. My wife was bait, bait of which I could not refuse."

"Well now that you sprung the trap," she wheezed, leaning on her axe for support, "what do we do?"

"I'm going to hold onto you and you're going to trust me."

The seekers, lurkers and corrupted Dremora Lords got onto the bridge and advanced towards us. Serana glanced at the host coming upon us. She said incredulously, "What?!"

A ball of lurker spit flew past me and I said, "Just trust me." Serana wrapped her arms around me awkwardly and I added, "Tuck your head in and hold on tighter."

She obeyed but tried to complain before my shout shot us forward:

"Wuld-Nah-Kest!"

Shooting past our enemies we were across the bridge and I casually flicked a flower which controlled a door that effectively locked the two dozen opponents away from us. They came to the door and let out all manners of ululations of rage. Serana brushed herself off, "Well, I didn't expect that. Why didn't you do that earlier?"

"The reason why I told you to tuck your head in was because if your head was pulled back in the whiplash you'd be dying from a broken neck. My wife was much too weak for me to be pulling stunts like that."

I started walking and I stumbled in my step once my adrenaline faded and leaned heavily into the wall. Passing a table I noticed some scrolls and potions. They were nothing major but as I stuffed them into my bag Serana patted my shoulder.

"You were fast."

"Yeah," I mumbled, casting a fast-heal spell, regaining my energy and I handed her a green potion, "this should help. We need to move before the small army back there finds a way to us."

I also gave her some healing scrolls, should she need them. Although Serana can only heal from draining life, drinking blood, and potions, scrolls once used will be half or three-quarters as effective on her. I strode down halls into a new area of Apocrypha, going towards the greenish-yellow light that pierced the middle of the fortress above.

Once there I cast a questioning glance at my friend and she shrugged. I took out a few septims and tossed them into the light and they floated up harmlessly. Shrugging, I stepped into the light and went up into the air. Watching the ascension above me, I panicked when the path began to close and I was unceremoniously spat into a pitch black chamber. Serana was close behind me and said once next to me getting up, "Well, this is worse than any cave in Skyrim."

"Wo meyz wa dii bormahhe qahwahlaan?"*

Crap, I thought and I replied in Dovaghzul, "Dinok."

"Zu'u los fron do deyra, ahrk fron do dovahhe. Zu'u nis dir het, mey."

A cold feeling passed over me. "Wo los hi? Faal lein naak?"

"Zu'u los faal lein naak zeymah. Kul do deyrah ahrk Bormahu."

My mouth dropped and fire rolled in a dragon's mouth, briefly illuminating where it was. There was a watery laugh, "Will you humour me? Dovakiin in tinvaak? In speech?"

I am absolutely confused.

"Um, sure, Yol!" A fireball struck the Dov and it laughed like it tickled.

"That might be the first and only time I had that done! Now tell me, why are you here mortal?"

"We..." Serana said confused, "come to find crippling dark secrets of Hermaeus Mora, said to be located in the Black Scroll."

The Dov let out a series of chuckles and it caused goosebumps to run down my spine. It was as if it knew something that we don't.

"My name is Altraius Morax, the illegitimate son of Hermaeus Mora and Akatosh. Second-born, of Akatosh. I am one of those secrets."

I cast a candlelight spell and the Dov's white scales shone in the light, he had horns much like Alduin but Altraius' were straighter like the horns of a spike-horned deer. That and on the end of each scale was a hint of green.

"So wait, how were you born-?" My companion asked and the dragon laughed again.

"It's... complicated."

"So you've never held tinvaak, conversations with any Dov?" I asked.

"No, but the dragon tongue is normally natural for Dov. I felt your presence and took the opportunity to use it for the first time. Though, as you can clearly tell, I prefer the tongue of Nirn, as it is what most the texts I read are written in."

I'm not even to ask how the son of the 'Book Demon' Hermaeus Mora learned how to read.

"Are you... being forced to stay here?"

I don't know why the thing's smile in the shadows made my hairs stand as he answered vaguely, "Somewhat." It added, "But aren't you going to ask me to help you find faal Vid Kel, The Black Elder Scroll?"

Serana and I shared discreet glances with one another.

"How can we trust you?" Serana asked.

"Besides the fact that I haven't attacked you yet? You have no choice, only I can open the Lift of Secrets, take you to the Vid Kel, and help in the fight against my father who has... somewhat kept me here for eternities."

"Do you know the way?"

"Of course, when Hermaeus Mora found the Kel Akatosh desired to read it. You know all too well, champion, that knowledge is never free from my father, so guess what Akatosh made with the power of the Kel?"

"You...?"

"Correct."

"So Akatosh read it twice?"

"Once, Akatosh desired prophetic knowledge from the Kel and-" he stopped like he said to much, "how about we head to the Kel? The Elder Scroll. Maybe it will give you my more personal knowledge, as well as what you seek?"

Translation:

"Who comes to my father('s) fortress?"

"Death."

"I am kin of Daedra, and kin of dragons. I cannot die here, fool."

"Who are you? The World Eater?"

"I am the World Eater('s) brother. Son of Daedra and Akatosh."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: No Altraius Morax isn't a traditional Dov name and if you haven't noticed he's not a traditional Dov. There's some unsaid reasons for this that will appear later...


End file.
